NEWSHOUR BOOKSHELF - "In My Own Words"

"Ruth Bader Ginsburg on becoming ‘Notorious'" PBS NewsHour 10/10/2016

One of my heroes.

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  For the latest NewsHour Bookshelf, Gwen Ifill sits down with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to discuss her new book, “In My Own Words" -- her first since she was appointed to the court.  Ginsburg reflects on the origins of her reputation as “Notorious R.B.G,” how Jimmy Carter diversified the court and how the confirmation process today differs from when she was nominated.

HARI SREENIVASAN (NewsHour):  Ruth Bader Ginsburg broke countless barriers for women in the legal profession long before she was tapped by President Bill Clinton for the highest court in the land.

Now she has published a collection of her writings and speeches called, “My Own Words.”

For this latest addition to the NewsHour Bookshelf, Gwen Ifill sat down with Justice Ginsburg recently at the Supreme Court.

GWEN IFILL (NewsHour):  Justice Ginsburg, thank you for speaking with us.

I want to start by — with a broader question than you even address in your book, which is, you've become something of a folk hero to some women.  Did you see that coming?

RUTH BADER GINSBURG, U.S.  Supreme Court:  It is utterly amazing.  Of course I didn't see it coming.

And it was all the creation of a second-year student, second-year law student, at NYU.  It came about this way.  She was reading a court's decision that invalidated a very significant part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

And she was angry.  And then she remembered that I had said anger is a useless emotion.  It doesn't get you any place.  Do something positive.  So, she created this tumbler starting with my dissent, and then it took off into the wild blue yonder.

GWEN IFILL:  You know, some people would say it's about politics, but I wonder if it's not also about your presence, your very existence on the [Supreme] court and the way that you write and the way that you sometimes take on your colleagues.

RUTH BADER GINSBURG:  I would like to think so, but I certainly was given a tremendous boost into the public arena by the 'Notorious R.B.G.'

When I was asked about it, I said, well, it's exactly right, because 'Notorious B.I.G.' and I had something in common?

You did?  What?

We were both born and bred in Brooklyn, New York.

(LAUGHTER)

GWEN IFILL:  You ever consider being a rapper?

(LAUGHTER)

RUTH BADER GINSBURG:  I don't think I have that talent.