Sandra Day O’Connor honored by Biden, family as pioneer and mother
Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Supreme Court justice, was remembered as a both pragmatic jurist and a mother.
Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman justice at the U.S. Supreme Court, was remembered during a funeral service Dec. 19, the day after she lay in state at the highest court in the land.
O’Connor died at the age of 93 on Dec. 1.
Welcome to this special mini-series of The Gaggle, a political podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com.
Other podcasts in the series include our episode on O’Connor’s life and legacy and the special feature episode for which The Arizona Republic traveled to her childhood ranch, the Lazy B.
In this short series, we’re bringing you interviews of those who knew her well. You’ll hear from her brother, Alan Day, and from her biographer, Evan Thomas.
Linda Hersham, the author of “Sisters In Law,” sat down with us to discuss O’Connor’s life, as did Ruth McGregor. McGregor, a former chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, was a law clerk for O’Connor in her first year as a justice and, perhaps most meaningfully, O’Connor’s friend.
Our host Ron Hansen, as well as former host and Republic reporter Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, conducted these interviews in the years before O’Connor’s passing. You may hear references to issues that, at the time, hadn’t been decided, such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
We’ll begin with O’Connor’s biographer Evan Thomas. He is a historian and journalist and wrote “First: Sandra Day O’Connor.”
Speaking from his home in Washington D.C., he shared his reflections on O’Connor.
The conversation starts with Thomas recounting O’Connor’s days at the Lazy B Ranch and the impact they had on her. You’ll hear again the famous flat-tire story, but this time told from O’Connor’s perspective — as related to Thomas for the biography.
Listen to the podcast
Listen to The Gaggle on your favorite podcast app or stream the full episode below.
Read the episode transcript here. Please note, there might be slight discrepancies due to the AI used to transcribe the conversation.
Symbolic roles matter
In Hirshman’s view, O’Connor advanced causes for women but also left the door open to have rights taken away. Her legal legacy is one that, in some ways, is being slowly dismantled by the current Supreme Court.
Regardless, O’Connor played a momentous and historical role in American history.
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Read more about Justice O’Connor’s memorial here.
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Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
