Convictions: Slate's blog on legal issues

Justice Clinton?

Jack and Phil: I find the notion of an easy confirmation for the future Justice Hillary Clinton improbable if not impossible for the reasons Jack suggests: The conservative base cares about the judiciary above all. They’d fight even the next moderate, nerdy, and dull nominee to the death. But a lifelong liberal political activist? An effective dealmaker and horse-trader in the model of Bill Brennan or Sandra Day O’Connor? A Clinton?

And given that modern confirmation hearings have everything to do with overturning ancient trash cans, how long would Sen. Clinton’s hearing stretch on? A month? Three? It would certainly be great fun for the folks who believed the Starr Report was a little too thin on the lurid details ...