It is interesting to speculate who would have appointed the next Justices, had Al Gore defeated George Bush. Although in frail health, William Rehnquist did not retire, and instead, like Ruth Bader Ginsberg, died in office. Sandra Day O'Connor was partisan enough that she retired in 2005 so that a Republican would appoint her successor.
The only times in American history that the same political party won 4 or more Presidential elections in a row were 1932-1952 (FDR and Truman); 1896-1912 (McKinley, Roosevelt, and Taft); 1860-1884 (Lincoln, Grant, Hayes, and Garfield); and 1800-1828 (Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and JQ Adams).
Given their backgrounds, both John Roberts and Samuel Alito were likely Supreme Court nominees regardless of the Republican President nominating them. So the Al Gore scenario only works if Gore defeats Bush in 2000 but is also re-elected in 2004.
Good points. But who would be the Republican candidate in 2004 who would defeat Gore? Maybe John McCain. If so, then I think it’s very unpredictable whom McCain would have nominated. I doubt that McCain would have had a strong corps of conservative lawyers in his White House. So I don’t see him picking Alito.
It is interesting to speculate who would have appointed the next Justices, had Al Gore defeated George Bush. Although in frail health, William Rehnquist did not retire, and instead, like Ruth Bader Ginsberg, died in office. Sandra Day O'Connor was partisan enough that she retired in 2005 so that a Republican would appoint her successor.
The only times in American history that the same political party won 4 or more Presidential elections in a row were 1932-1952 (FDR and Truman); 1896-1912 (McKinley, Roosevelt, and Taft); 1860-1884 (Lincoln, Grant, Hayes, and Garfield); and 1800-1828 (Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and JQ Adams).
Given their backgrounds, both John Roberts and Samuel Alito were likely Supreme Court nominees regardless of the Republican President nominating them. So the Al Gore scenario only works if Gore defeats Bush in 2000 but is also re-elected in 2004.
Good points. But who would be the Republican candidate in 2004 who would defeat Gore? Maybe John McCain. If so, then I think it’s very unpredictable whom McCain would have nominated. I doubt that McCain would have had a strong corps of conservative lawyers in his White House. So I don’t see him picking Alito.