Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings in the U.S. Senate
Author Justin Wedeking talks about the claim that Supreme Court nominees have become more evasive in recent decades and that this has impacted the political atmosphere of Senate confirmation hearings. ** This clip is part of C-SPAN Classroom's FREE resources for teachers and students. Visit www.c-spanclassroom.org for more info. **
Description
Justin Wedeking talks about the claim that Supreme Court nominees have become more evasive in recent decades and that this has impacted the political atmosphere of Senate confirmation hearings.
Bell Ringer Assignment
- Explain the criticism of judicial hearings, as discussed in Mr. Wedeking's book.
- How did the Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954 impact the judicial nominee hearing process?
- Describe the results from the analysis of hearing transcripts that were conducted between 1955-2010.
- How have judicial hearings changed over time?
- What affect has television had on the hearings?
- Explain Justice Thurgood Marshall’s experience during the nomination process. How does this compare with Robert Bork’s nomination experience?
- Explain the circumstances surrounding Justice Clarence Thomas’ hearing.
- How have nominee senators changed the basis of their votes over time?
Participants
Vocabulary
- Anita Hill
- Brown V. Board Of Education
- Candor
- Charade
- Civil Liberties
- Civil Rights
- Constituent
- Ideology
- Justice Elena Kagan
- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg
- Justice Sandra Day O’connor
- Justice Thurgood Marshall
- Liberal
- Polarization
- President George H. W. Bush
- Robert Bork
- Vapid