A beautiful novelistic passage in
Linda Greenhouse's NYT report today from the Supreme Court. Before the Court took up the question of Oregon's assisted-suicide law, a once great, now humbled figure appeared to carry out a task of no great significance...
Just before the argument began, a fleeting moment in the courtroom underscored the inherent drama in the chain of events that had lifted John Roberts into the Supreme Court's center chair. A member of the Supreme Court bar approached the bench to move the admission of a dozen graduates of Pepperdine Law School.
It was Kenneth W. Starr, the former solicitor general, whom Chief Justice Roberts had served as principal deputy. Mr. Starr, who was a federal appeals court judge while in his 30's, was once widely considered a leading candidate for a Supreme Court seat. Now he is dean of a law school that overlooks the Pacific Ocean in Malibu, Calif., about as far from the center of action as it is possible to be.
"Dean Starr," Chief Justice Roberts said in acknowledgment, as their eyes met briefly.
"Mr. Chief Justice and may it please the court," Mr. Starr began.
Oh, how the mighty are fallen...