America's Highest Court Is in Recess
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In the final weeks of this year's term, the US Supreme Court was sharply divided on the death penalty, guns and Guantánamo Bay. But compared to last year, it's been an Era of Good Feeling between liberals and conservatives. Are the justices less ideological or did they choose cases with less emotional impact? Will either McCain or Obama want to re-shape the third branch of government? Also, fear and intimidation reduce voter turn-out in Zimbabwe and, after weeks and months of bitter political fighting, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are together again in Unity, New Hampshire.
Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Making News
Zimbabweans Vote, or Else ()
In the first round of the presidential election in March, Zimbabwe was a place of excitement and hope for change. After weeks of deadly violence, today's second round featured fear, intimidation and a low turn-out. Chris McGreal is Africa correspondent for the Guardian newspaper in Harare.
Guests:
- Chris McGreal: Africa Correspondent, Guardian
Main Topic
Supreme Court '07-'08 Term Wrap-up ()
When the US Supreme Court shut down last year for its summer recess, court watchers were stunned by the number of 5-to-4 decisions and the bitter language used by some of the justices. Chief Justice John Roberts had promised a collegial atmosphere that would produce greater unity. The court ended this year's term with a burst of 5-to-4 splits on high-profile issues, but for the most part, last year's patterns did not hold. We hear about the death penalty, voter ID, guns and Guantánamo Bay. Has President Bush succeeded in pushing the court to the right? With as many as three retirements possible, what can voters expect from John McCain or Barack Obama?
Guests:
- Jan Crawford Greenburg: Legal Affairs Correspondent, ABC News
- Jeffrey Rosen: Professor of Law, George Washington University
- Dahlia Lithwick: Senior Editor, Slate, @Dahlialithwick
- Eric Posner: Professor of Law, University of Chicago
Links:
- Greenburg's 'Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States Supreme Court'
- Rosen's 'The Supreme Court: The Personalities and Rivalries that Defined America'
- Lithwick, Slate colleagues on Supreme Court wrap-up
- Posner's 'Terror in the Balance: Security, Liberty and the Courts'
Reporter's Notebook
Clinton Campaigns with Obama in Unity ()
It was handshakes and kisses today when Hillary Clinton boarded Barack Obama's plane for the flight to New Hampshire. They were heading for Unity, a town of 1700 people that gave each of them 107 votes in January's Democratic primary. Clinton took the podium for here first joint public appearance with Obama since this year's down-to-the-wire primary battle came to an end. Ben Smith is senior political correspondent for Politico.com.
Guests:
- Ben Smith: Senior Political Reporter, Politico.com
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