Biden Commends Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
Former President Joe Biden remarked on Thursday that Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson ranks among the most intelligent lawyers he has encountered.
Speaking at The Chicago National Bar Association Gala, Biden reflected on his time in office, emphasizing his dedication to diversifying the judiciary. He noted that his administration has appointed “the most demographically diverse slate of judges in US history.”
Biden mentioned, “We’ve appointed the slate of the most demographically diverse judges to date in the history of the United States. [At the] Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman on the US Supreme Court, who is one of the brightest lawyers I’ve ever met.”
Jackson distinguished herself by being the sole justice to dissent against a ruling that permitted President Donald Trump to move forward with plans to reduce the federal workforce. She described the majority opinions as “hub arrogant and meaningless.” Her mounting criticisms of the Supreme Court stem from cases like Trump v. Casa, where she argued that the district court’s decision to limit the use of national injunctions presents an “existential threat to the rule of law.”
In his address, Biden also took pride in his extensive political career.
“When I was selected as the youngest, I was elected before I swear. Everyone beat a very popular guy. Nixon won my state with 60% of the votes. I flew in with a margin of just 3,200 votes,” he stated, reflecting on his early political battles.
However, Biden’s assertion that he understands “what is worth losing an election” seems at odds with his history of political inconsistencies and shifts in strategy. For instance, he initially defended the 1994 crime bill, which led to significant mass incarceration, but later acknowledged it as a mistake following criticism from the left.
He similarly altered his stance on the Hyde Amendment, which prohibited federal funding for abortions, adjusting his position during the 2020 campaign to align with Democratic voters. Additionally, his 2021 prohibition on oil drilling on federal land was later followed by approval for drilling in Alaska. Recently, in 2024, the Biden administration moved to restrict oil and gas operations across millions of acres in Alaska, effectively rejecting essential road projects for copper mining.
