Part IV, Chapters 16-18, The Retired Justices Dissent, Softball Politics, The Tea Party and the Justice's Wife Summary and Analysis

Part IV refocuses on Sandra Day O'Connor, still the most famous of the Supreme Court justices, as she was the most influential woman in American history. Typically when SCOTUS judges retired, they died, but not O'Connor. She had retired to help her husband, who had Alzheimer's. After Roberts's nomination, Bush nominated Harriet Miers, who was completely unqualified. While O'Connor had voted with the conservatives in Bush v. Gore, she came to regard the Bush Administration as a disaster, especially against Bush. But in 2006 she stepped down, to be replaced by Alito. O'Connor's departure was bittersweet, as she relished the time away from the court but had to take care...