Surprise, surprise: Ronald Reagan was guilty of the same sort of "identity politics" that conservatives are accusing President Obama and Judge Sotomayor of practicing.
During the closing days of the 1980 presidential campaign, Reagan pledged to appoint a woman to the Supreme Court, saying one of the first openings "will be filled by the most qualified woman I can find...it is time for a woman to sit among our highest jurists."
Reagan also pledged to appoint women to lower federal courts "in an effort to bring about a better balance on the federal bench."
With his appointment of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on July 7, 1981, Reagan kept his promise, saying "I’ve long believed that the time has come for the highest court in our land to include not only distinguished men, but distinguished women as well."
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Apparently, conservatives are fine with identity politics when it comes from one of their own, but as soon as they think a Democrat is doing it (whether or not he or she is), then it’s time to start screaming "sexism" and "reverse racism."
To the extent that right wingers want to attack President Obama and Judge Sotomayor on this kind of stuff, if they want to maintain any credibility they had better rethink their relationship with Ronald Reagan, because whether Reagan was right or wrong, he practiced an unapologetic brand of identity politics more blatant than the Heritage Foundation’s wildest fantasies about Obama.
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Quotes from Ronald Reagan on appointing a female justice to Supreme Court
Reagan made his original pledge to nominate a woman for the SCOTUS on October 14, 1980 during a presidential campaign news conference in Los Angeles:
Within the guidelines of excellence, appointments can carry enormous symbolic significance. This permits us to guide by example, to show how deep our commitment is and to give meaning to what we profess.
One way I intend to live up to that commitment is to appoint a woman to the Supreme Court.
I am announcing today that one of the first Supreme Court vacancies in my administration will be filled by the most qualified woman I can find, one who meets the high standards I will demand for all my appointments.
It is time for a woman to sit among our highest jurists. I will also seek out women to appoint to other federal courts in an effort to bring about a better balance on the federal bench.
Ronald Reagan at a GOP fundraiser in Chicago on July 7, 1981:
As I said during the campaign, I’ve long believed that the time has come for the highest court in our land to include not only distinguished men, but distinguished women as well. ... I had the pleasure of meeting with Mrs. O’Connor last week and I can report to you that she not only has a long and brilliant record as a legislator and jurist, but she also impressed me as a thoughtful, capable woman whose judicial temperament is highligh appropriate for the court.
Earlier that day (July 7, 1981), Reagan had also addressed his views on appointing a woman to the SCOTUS:
Needless to say, most of the speculation has centered on the question of whether I would consider a woman to fill this first vacancy. As the press has accurately pointed out, during my campaign for the Presidency I made a commitment that one of my first appointments to a Supreme Court vacancy would be the most qualified woman I could possibly find.