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How a Poem Doomed Robert Bork's Supreme Court Bid

3/18/2025

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Summary

Story summary

In 1987, during Robert Bork's Supreme Court confirmation hearing, Senator Alan Simpson quoted Rudyard Kipling's poem "If" and posed a pivotal question. Bork's self-absorbed reply backfired, diminishing his prospects for confirmation. Veteran reporter Linda Greenhouse reveals how this exchange played a significant role in the bipartisan rejection of his nomination.

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Story summary

In 1987, during Robert Bork's Supreme Court confirmation hearing, Senator Alan Simpson quoted Rudyard Kipling's poem "If" and posed a pivotal question. Bork's self-absorbed reply backfired, diminishing his prospects for confirmation. Veteran reporter Linda Greenhouse reveals how this exchange played a significant role in the bipartisan rejection of his nomination.