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?