IAP Political Forum

I am presently reading "The Nine" by Jeffrey Toobin.

Amazing book.

Justice Souter is a man living in the wrong century.  During the day, he turns off the lights, moves his chair to the window and reads the briefs by the sunlight through his window.  He doesn't use a computer, rather he prefers writing with a fountain pen (which he regularly refills or has refilled).  For lunch he eats the same thing every day.  An apple (he eats the entire apple, seeds and all) and a cup of yogurt.  They bring it out to him in the Supreme Court cafeteria on Supreme Court China....

These quirks add a great deal my view of the Justices.

But more to the point, it also spoke to the different views that the justices had and how they came to a number of decisions.  Including how a devout Catholic like Kennedy and Scalia can disagree about abortion rights.

An interesting aspect of the book.

Rehnquist showed up in the court in a new robe.  One with four gold stripes on each sleeve.  Why did he have them?

He was copying the costume of the "Lord Chancellor" from a local production of the operetta.

I remember the press making a big deal about it.

I remember that robe.  He wore it during the trial of former President Clinton following the President's impeachment.

(http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/02/12/impeachment/rehnquist.jpg)