Modest Souter shaped today’s high court and Roe reversal
David Hackett Souter, a reserved jurist who quietly steered the Supreme Court, died at 85 after 16 years retired in New Hampshire. His 1990 elevation, aided by Warren Rudman, contrasted with modern ideologically curated appointments leading to Roe v. Wade’s reversal. The piece traces how Souter’s era differed from today’s political court dynamics.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
David Hackett Souter
Washington Power
Supreme Court
Souter
New Hampshire
Federalist Society
Roe v. Wade
Donald Trump
Leonard Lee
Neil M. Gorsuch
Brett M. Kavanaugh
Amy Coney Barrett
William J. Brennan Jr
George H.W. Bush
Brennan
Warren B. Rudman
GOP
White House
John H. Sununu
Granite State
Bush
Missouri
John C. Danforth
Clarence Thomas
Harry A. Blackmun
Souter and the changing face of the Supreme Court
David Von Drehle argues that the post Souter Court, shaped by elite law schools and career clerks, has become highly educated and ideologically polarized. He notes movement conservatives pushing for orthodoxy while lamenting the loss of modest jurists who value compromise and liberty.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Warren E. Burger
Souter
Brennan
Earl Warren
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Blackmun
Richard M. Nixon
Sandra Day O’connor
Ronald Reagan
Harvard
Yale
Notre Dame
Appeals Court
Supreme Court
John G. Roberts Jr
Barrett
Congress
U.S
David Souter
Letters to the editor guidelines for The Chronicle Telegram
The Chronicle Telegram invites letters to the editor up to 250 words and advises editors to shorten longer submissions for brevity accuracy and taste. Include signature full address and phone for verification by mail fax or email with preferred contact details.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chronicle-Telegram
The
Chronicle- Telegram
Elyria
Letters
Chroniclet.com
Bethel Leads Philadelphia Police With Judgment and Containment
Philadelphia's Kevin Bethel, 61, rises from the Black community to become the citys top cop in 2024, shaping policing with a focus on restrained authority. He contrasts with Frank Rizzo, cites broken windows theory, and argues policing aims to contain crime rather than eliminate it while contending with Kensingtons open air drug market and evolving threats.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Philadelphia
Kevin Bethel
Bethel
Frank Rizzo
America
Los Angeles
Rizzo
Attila the Hun
Philadelphia Daily News
James Q. Wilson
George L. Kelling
the Atlantic
Grandma
Wilson
Kelling
Kensington
Walmart
Charles Fain Lehman
Manhattan Institute
New York
Theodore Roosevelt
The Pool Reward After Travel Hassles
A traveler reflects on travel pain from early morning flights and hidden fees to a finally serene pool moment. The narrator notes philosophy via the poolside calm and ends with contact details for D L Stewart.
Asdrubal Cabrera’s 2008 unassisted triple play noted
Almanac item recalls Asdrubal Cabrera completing MLB history's 14th unassisted triple play on May 12, 2008. Also features a George Carlin quote, Florence Nightingale Medal recipients count, and a full moon phase for May 12, 2025.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Edward Lear
Florence Nightingale
Katharine Hepburn
Yogi Berra
Burt Bacharach
George Carlin
Gabriel Byrne
Ving Rhames
Tony Hawk
Malin Akerman
Cleveland Indians
Asdrubal Cabrera
International Committee of the Red Cross
Also Mentioned on This Page
David von Drehle
Washington Post
Stahler Andrews
Nymbel Syndication
George Will
Washington Pc
St Columnist
Bubba
Nietzsche
Plato
Ann Landers
D.L. Stewart
Atlanta
Nashville
Yahoo.com
Emily VanCamp
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!