How close did the Supreme Court come to reversing Roe v. Wade more than three decades before the June 2022 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization? Reagan was persuaded otherwise and bristled at the suggestion O’Connor would act to preserve Roe. In short order after Reagan left the White House, the court dealt with a new case where, the O’Connor papers reveal, the tension regarding her views on Roe came to a head. Ronald Reagan’s legacy as a pro-life president is often challenged based on his twin mistakes with O’Connor and Kennedy. The O’Connor papers show how close the reversal of Roe came in 1989 and how reasonable observers could have believed these two pro-Roe justices recognized the artificiality and error of Roe.

Source: CNN November 13, 2024 21:51 UTC