Capitol Journal - Rehnquist Nomination As Chief Justice Footage

Capitol Journal - Rehnquist nomination as Chief Justice
This clip is not available for streaming at this time. Please contact WPA.	Tape Master:	10215
	Catalog #:	467490
	Clip Number:	467490-1
	Orginal Film:	31-2395
	Timecode:
	Location:	N/A
	Year Shot:	1986 (Actual Year)
	Audio:	Yes
	Color:	Yes
	Headings:	GOVERNMENT: United States
	Description:	(01:00:00) WETA logo, PBS funding credits (01:00:13) Opens to footage contained in on screen window - under window runs Capital Journal banner - President RONALD REAGAN in a national address Reagan boasts that his administration will have appointed 45% of all federal justices at the end of his second term, various quick shots from the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice WILLIAM REHNQUIST to take over as Chief Justice - in shots Senator TED KENNEDY questions Rehnquist, from tv studio Capital Journal host HODDING CARTER introduces show and guest discussion panel (01:00:43) Capital Journal title screen and credits (01:00:51) In tv studio Carter introduces shows topic and segues to footage (01:01:31) Shots of the Rehnquist confirmation hearings, Senator HOWARD METZENBAUM states the committee's intent of investigating whether or not Rehnquist lied in his 1971 supreme court confirmation hearings, Senator Kennedy questions Rehnquist about his past job as a poll watcher in Arizona, Senator Kennedy questions Rehnquist about a memo he wrote to former Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson in 1952 supporting the racial doctrine of "separate but equal" - Rehnquist responds he was writing about Jackson's opinion on the matter, Senator PATRICK LEAHY questions Rehnquist about a clause in the deed for his home that the property should not be sold to anyone of the "Hebrew race" (01:04:02) Back in studio Carter discusses the Rehnquist hearings with panel - LULE DENNISTON of the Baltimore Sun, STEVE ROBERTS of the New York Times, KEVIN PHILLIPS of the American Political Report - they discuss Rehnquist's integrity as revealed in the hearings and how big an issue it is for his confirmation as Chief Justice (01:06:56) Senator Kennedy on the first day of the confirmation hearings expresses his disapproval of Rehnquist's nomination on the basis of Rehnquist's political extremity - Kennedy gives examples of this extremity, Senator PAUL LAXALT has Rehnquist confirm he is bias free and differs only idealogically from others in his view of the 14th amendment regarding women's and civil rights (01:08:35) At the confirmation hearings CLARENCE MITCHELL III of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators says Rehnquist is racist and anti-woman, Representative TED WEISS says Rehnquist's idealogy distorts his decisions, ELEANOR SMEAL President of the National Organization of Women passionately disproves of labeling Rehnquist merely conservative - saying he is really reactionary and pursues a literal reading of the Constitution which excludes the recognition of equal rights for women, Senator ORRIN HATCH defends Rehnquist against the charge that he is extremist (01:10:53) Back in studio Carter and the panel discusses the confirmation committee's idealogical inquiry of Rehnquist (01:14:42) Senator HOWARD METZENBAUM in a long statement at the confirmation hearings says in supporting Rehnquist one is supporting a repeal of "basic constitutional values", Senator ALAN SIMPSON gives a long statement about the scrutiny that Rehnquist has fallen under in the confirmation hearings, Senator PATRICK LEAHY speaks of the serious Constitutional job facing the Senate in confirming a justice appointment (01:16:54) Senator Hatch and other senators on the committee skirmish over who has the right to question the witness - Senator JOSEPH BIDON says questioning should be kept to a limit as many more witnesses are waiting to appear before the committee - Senators Kennedy and Metzenbaum also joins in the fray (01:18:10) Back in studio Carter and the panel discuss the constitutionality and politics of rejecting a justice nominee (01:20:42) Back at the confirmation hearings Senator JEREMIAH DENTON criticizes the liberal's politically motivated "stone-walling" of the Rehnquist nomination, Senator PAUL SIMON condemns the charge of partisanship on the part of the Democrats in the confirmation hearings (01:22:05) President Reagan in an address to the Knights of Columbus (but what is shot like a televised national address) says his stacking of the courts will allow progress to be made on the issues of "abortion, crime and pornography" - he also says his justice appointees will make up 45% of the federal justices by the end of his term (01:22:47) Back in studio Carter and the panel discuss the political and idealogical agenda behind Reagan's justice appointees and how the Supreme Court and its justices change over time (01:27:04) Carter thanks guests and closes out show, credits roll (01:27:30) PBS funding credits