Sandra Day O'Connor - Reuters
December 18, 2000
NEW YORK -- Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was upset during an election-night party when she heard Florida was first called for Vice President Al Gore, exclaiming, "This is terrible," according to a report in Newsweek magazine released yesterday.
The report said O'Connor made the comment at about 8 p.m. Nov. 7, and declared that meant the election was "over" because Gore had also won two other key states.
Quoting two eyewitnesses to her comments, Newsweek said O'Connor then walked off to get a plate of food, and her husband, John, explained to friends and acquaintances that she was upset because they wanted to retire to Arizona and a Gore presidency meant they would have to wait at least four years because she did not want a Democrat to name her successor.
O'Connor, 70, had been Republican majority leader of the Arizona state Senate before being appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Reagan in 1981.
The magazine said in its edition due out today her remarks would likely fuel criticism that high court justices "sought to influence" election returns in their ruling that ended the impasse over the presidential election.
Nothing partisan here as I would sure hate to see an election. much less a recount, foul up her retirement plans. |
