Archive - Ed Whelan’s Confirmation Tales

Limbo on Filling Souter Seat Invites Conflict

Criticism of Sotomayor's intellect ignites anger and infighting

Feb 26 • Ed Whelan

David Souter Gives Barack Obama a Supreme Court Vacancy

George H.W. Bush's biggest mistake

Feb 19 • Ed Whelan

Barack Obama's Supreme Court Confirmation Battles vs. Bill Clinton's

What a difference 16 years make

Feb 12 • Ed Whelan

Barack Obama and John McCain Clash Over Selecting Judges

2008 presidential contenders present competing visions of the judicial role

Feb 5 • Ed Whelan

January 2026

Wrapping Up George W. Bush's Consequential Second Term

How the politics of judicial confirmations was transformed

Jan 29 • Ed Whelan

George W. Bush's Minor Impact on D.C. Circuit

Key appellate court is left ripe for liberal takeover

Jan 22 • Ed Whelan

Fourth Circuit Nominee Reflects on Same Obstruction that Merrick Garland Would Encounter

'I’ll take that tradeoff eight days a week'

Jan 15 • Ed Whelan

Judicial Selection and Serendipity

The nominations of David Sentelle and Paul Niemeyer

Jan 8 • Ed Whelan

December 2025

A 2025 Christmas Sampler

And welcome to a New Year of Confirmation Tales!

Dec 26, 2025 • Ed Whelan

Reagan's DOJ Prepares for Another Supreme Court Vacancy

Opposing Anthony Kennedy

Dec 18, 2025 • Ed Whelan

Judicial Selection in the Reagan Administration

An insider's account

Dec 11, 2025 • Ed Whelan

George W. Bush's Dismal Failure on Fourth Circuit Nominations

How and why the conservative court shifted left

Dec 5, 2025 • Ed Whelan

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