To the Point

Supreme Court Deliberates While the Nation Waits

Is the US Supreme Court too divided to help unify the nation? Once warned to avoid the "political thicket", it has jumped into a massively thorny one at a time when the court itself is split along political lines. What are the consequences of a split decision? Can the court's prestige survive whether it decides for Bush or Gore? We talk politics and law with constitutional law professors, and check in with Linda Kleindienst of the Sun-Sentinel for the latest in the Florida legislature. We'll also talk to an election official who may rise from obscurity to sudden fame. Newsmaker: Awaiting Supreme Court Decision - Although the Supreme Court has made history with the immediate release of two hearings, it's given no forewarning of its intent to issue a decision in Bush v. Gore. While we wait, we check in with Stuart Taylor, senior writer at The National Journal, who also covers the Supreme Court for Newsweek. Reporter's Notebook: The Most Lucrative Contract in Sports History - Texas Ranger Alex Rodriguez just signed a deal that will pay him 45,000 dollars each time he goes to the plate. We get a reaction from Ron Rappoport, sports columnist for the Chicago Sun Times, who reminds us that one high-priced player will not make a mediocre team.