American Notes Supreme

Although his confirmation as the 16th Chief Justice of the U.S. was all but certain, William Rehnquist received only grudging approval from the U.S. Senate last week. Democrats castigated his caustic opposition to civil rights programs and questioned his ability to serve as a "symbol of justice" for the nation. Republican Charles Mathias of Maryland objected to Rehnquist's failure in 1972 to withdraw as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from a civil liberties case that he had worked on as an Assistant Attorney General.

Though 65 Senators voted to confirm Rehnquist, there were 33 nays, the most ever for a successful court appointee. The Senate was kinder to U.S. Appeals Court Judge Antonin Scalia, voting 98 to 0 to approve his nomination as Associate Justice.