Getty Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court William Rehnquist (R) administers the oath of office to newly-appointed U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (L) as U.S. President Bill Clinton looks on 10 August 1993. Ginsburg is the 107th Supreme Court justice and the second woman to serve on the high court.
Hillary Clinton said in a 2019 interview she “may have expressed an opinion or two about people he should move up” regarding then-President Bill Clinton’s nominee for the Supreme Court. The nominee, of course, was Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who became the second woman appointed to the nation’s highest court in 1993.
Ginsburg died September 18 at age 87 following a battle with pancreatic cancer and served on the Supreme Court for 27 years. She was the leader of the Supreme Court’s liberal wing.
The Clintons were interviewed with Ginsburg by Georgetown professors Wendy Williams and Mary Hartnett in October, who were writing a biography about Ginsburg. Ginsburg said her age at the time of her appointment – 60 – was concerning to some.
“Some people thought I was too old for the job,” she said, according to The Washington Post. “If you worried about my age, it was unnecessary.”
Here’s what you need to know:
Bill Clinton Said He Knew He Would Appoint Ginsburg Within 10 Minutes of Their Interview
We have lost one of the most extraordinary Justices ever to serve on the Supreme Court. Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life and landmark opinions moved us closer to a more perfect union. And her powerful dissents reminded us that we walk away from our Constitution’s promise at our peril.
Hillary Clinton recommended Ginsburg as a nominee in conversations with her husband, she said in a 2019 interview, according to CNN.
“I knew that of all the people who were part of the women’s movement she was one of the key players because of her creative understanding of the law and her sense of commitment,” Clinton said.
Ginsburg was not Clinton’s first choice as nominee to the Supreme Court. His first pick was New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, he said in a 2019 interview reported by The Washington Post. But within 10 minutes of his interview with Ginsburg, he changed his mind. He said she was serious about her legal work and articulated her views clearly.
“I thought, this woman is completely on the level,” he said.
Hillary Clinton took some credit for the nomination in the interview.
“I may have expressed an opinion or two about people he should move up,” she said, referring to her husband’s list of potential nominees.
Bill Clinton praised Ginsburg’s opinions and her dissents. He specifically referred to her dissent of Bush v. Gore, calling it one of the “10 worst” opinions of the Supreme Court.
“Every time I read one of her opinions, I’m thrilled by it,” he said.
Hillary Clinton Said Ruth Bader Ginsburg Paved the Way for Women, Including Her
This is the scene at the Supreme Court tonight after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Thousands of people are gathered here, with hundreds sitting on the steps t.co/Cg9oNILOPx 📷: @evansemones #RBG #SCOTUS
Hillary Clinton was quick to acknowledge the role Ginsburg had in her life and in her political path. Soon after Ginsburg’s death was announced, Clinton wrote on Twitter that Ginsburg paved the way for her.
“Justice Ginsburg paved the way for so many women, including me. There will never be another like her. Thank you RBG,” she wrote.
Justice Ginsburg paved the way for so many women, including me. There will never be another like her. Thank you RBG.
Former President Bill Clinton shared a photo on Twitter of Ginsburg shortly after her swearing in ceremony in 1993, calling her “one of the most extraordinary Justices to ever serve on the Supreme Court.”
“We have lost one of the most extraordinary Justices ever to serve on the Supreme Court. Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life and landmark opinions moved us closer to a more perfect union. And her powerful dissents reminded us that we walk away from our Constitution’s promise at our peril,” he wrote.
READ NEXT: Trump Reacts to Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Death: ‘She Led an Amazing Life’