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The Senate Confirmation Hearings of Ketanji Brown Jackson
The Senate confirmation hearings of Ketanji Brown Jackson have not been action-packed in the ways America remembers with Justice Brett Kavanaugh. However, they have launched a partisan battle as key Republicans seek their 15 minutes of fame through sound bites and histrionics.
Of the Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Ted Cruz is the one senator who has worked the hardest to stay on top of the Twitter newsfeed and on TV.
During Wednesday’s confirmation hearing, Cruz had a heated exchange with Senator Dick Durbin from Illinois. Afterwards, Cruz was spotted searching Twitter for mentions of his name.
However, Cruz was not alone in his performative tantrums. Other senators, such as Marsha Blackburn, Josh Hawley, and Tom Cotton, have all used the high-profile moment of the confirmation hearing as a trial run as 2024 presidential hopefuls.
It’s no secret the Republicans are counting down the days until the 2024 presidential election, but using a confirmation hearing for the Supreme Court as an opportunity to test the waters is in poor form. Nevertheless, it is important to note, this type of grandstanding is not unique to Republicans, Democrats in past confirmation hearings as well.
