Ruth Bader Ginsburg Recalled as Trailblazing Advocate for Women
Tributes flooded in after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the 87-year-old Supreme Court justice and liberal icon.
(Bloomberg) -- Tributes flooded in after the death Friday of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the 87-year-old Supreme Court justice, liberal icon and pop-culture phenomenon, after a long battle with cancer.
Here’s a selection of the responses:
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts: “Our Nation has lost a jurist of historic stature. We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her -- a tireless and resolute champion of justice.”
The court on Saturday released statements from all the current justices, from ideological foes like Clarence Thomas to others on the court’s liberal wing, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
“The passing of my dear colleague, Ruth, is profoundly difficult and so very sad,” wrote Thomas. “I will dearly miss my friend.” Sotomayor called Ginsburg “an American hero,” while Kagan said the justice “guided and inspired me, on matters large and small, once I became her colleague. I will miss her -- her intellect, her generosity, her sly wit, her manifest integrity, and her endless capacity for work -- for the rest of my life.”
“Our nation mourns the loss of a titan of the law,” President Donald Trump said in a statement. “Renowned for her brilliant mind and her powerful dissents at the Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg demonstrated that one can disagree without being disagreeable toward one’s colleagues or different points of view. Her opinions, including well-known decisions regarding the legal equality of women and the disabled, have inspired all Americans.”
President Bill Clinton, who appointed Ginsburg in 1993: “She was a magnificent judge and a wonderful person -- a brilliant lawyer with a caring heart, common sense, fierce devotion to fairness and equality, and boundless courage in the face of her own adversity.” “There will never be another like her,” added Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential candidate. “Thank you RBG.”
President Barack Obama wrote a lengthy Medium post on Ginsburg, saying that she “inspired the generations who followed her, from the tiniest trick-or-treaters to law students burning the midnight oil, to the most powerful leaders in the land.”
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden: “She was consistently and reliably the voice that pierced to the heart of every issue, protected the constitutional rights of every American, and never failed in the fierce and unflinching defense of liberty and freedom. Her opinions, and her dissents, will continue to shape the basis of our law for future generations.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky: “Her intelligence and determination earned her respect and admiration throughout the legal world, and indeed throughout the entire nation.”
Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska: “Her life’s story is a reminder of how far women have come in the fight for equality but there is more to be done. I have the greatest respect for her as a trailblazer among women.”
Representative Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee: “She will be remembered for her brilliant mind, her razor sharp wit, and her tenacious and lifelong fight to protect the rights of women in this country.”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York: “Tonight we mourn the passing of a giant in American history, a champion for justice, a trailblazer for women. She would want us all to fight as hard as we can to preserve her legacy.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts: “The T-shirts labeled ‘RBG’ made her notorious. But it was her wit, her tenaciousness, and her skill as a jurist that made her an icon.”
Senator Mitt Romney, Republican of Utah: “Her fight for women’s equality inspired women to pursue their dreams without limits, and her grit, character and sharp wit made her an iconic and inspirational jurist beloved by people young and old.”
Ana Maria Archila, co-executive director of the Center for Popular Democracy: “The death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an unthinkable loss for our country and for our democracy. Justice Ginsburg was a champion for justice who helped lay the foundation for equal rights for all people.”
Sarah Silverman, comedian: “I know she tried to hang on, for all our sakes. She hung in there so hard.”
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