The thinkers Book

Bork's minimalist and indeed somewhat admirable approach to con law, perhaps better understood as "restraint" in the Wilkinsonian style, is presented along with a lengthy recap of his confirmation hearings. Bork, who had the misfortune of bringing with him a complicated and lengthy track record, takes aim at the critics who misrepresented it. Although a deserving choice for the Court (and I say this as a Democrat!), Bork refuses to acknowledge his own failings: yes, his opponents distorted his record, but he was terrible up there, the anti-Reagan/Ollie North. He was fat, surly, and deeply unpleasant. Had Bork been nominated by Nixon, under whom he served with some distinction as Solicitor General, he likely would've sailed through. Once upon a time he was hip, nerd-fashionable, and able to roll with the punches. A cautionary tale for all of us, as we age into angry irrelevance. Bork makes a few jokes in here about being mistaken for C Everett Koop that hit the mark; why couldn't he have displayed such a human side during his hearings?