Archive - Ed Whelan’s Confirmation Tales

Revisiting Samuel Alito's Path to Confirmation

Harriet Miers, Arlen Specter, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, and more

Jul 3 •

June 2025

Revisiting John Roberts's Path to Confirmation

The launch of the 'Roberts Court'

Jun 26 •

Revisiting Stephen Breyer's Path to Confirmation

Orrin Hatch's gamesmanship, Teddy Kennedy's intrigue, and Ralph Nader's costly presidential run

Jun 19 •

Revisiting Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Path to Confirmation

No more Mother's Day, zero black hires, Biden embarrasses Kagan, and more

Jun 12 •

Why We Have So Many Former Federal Appellate Judges on the Supreme Court

Explaining the dramatic shift

Jun 5 •

May 2025

Old Paths to the Supreme Court

The way things were

May 29 •

Stepping Stone to the Supreme Court

The increased prevalence of justices who served on federal appellate courts

May 22 •

First Appellate Nominations by Presidents

Whitney Hermandorfer and her predecessors

May 15 •

Friend of Hillary Clinton Tries to Stop Kavanaugh Confirmation to D.C. Circuit

Hijinks at the American Bar Association

May 8 •

Kavanaugh Navigates Obstacle Course to D.C. Circuit

A three-year odyssey

May 1 •

April 2025

Chuck Schumer's Filibuster Flop

What if Senate Democrats had shown some restraint?

Apr 24 •

Why Diane Sykes Didn't Get Filibustered

Wisconsin's Democratic senators clear her path off state supreme court

Apr 17 •

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