Sheldon Goldman, Distinguished Professor in political science, says Democratic U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein has traditionally been collegial and bipartisan, and that doesn’t sit well with some other Democrats who want her to be much more aggressive with Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court. He says, “She’s an elder statesperson. It’s a different role” than the one played by some of the younger Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, several of whom are considered potential 2020 presidential candidates. (McClatchy, 9/6/18)

Goldman also says the U.S. Supreme Court isn’t as polarized as people may think, even though the court has recently been handling cases that highlight the ideological differences between the justices. He says, for example, that about 40 percent of cases were decided by unanimous opinions. Goldman says a nuanced view is required to truly understand the working of the court. (The National Law Journal, 9/6/18)