Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) joins Cheddar Politics to discuss the importance of Black woman nominee to SCOTUS. 

Cheddar Politics

Rep. Brenda Lawrence on the Importance of Nominating a Black Woman to Supreme Court

Welcome back to cheddar politics on Tuesday. President biden spent the afternoon beginning the process according crucial senators who will be pivotal in confirming confirming his future Supreme Court nominee. This comes as biden looks to replace Justice Stephen Breyer, who has said he will step down at the end of this term D. C. Circuit Court Judge Lattanzi Brown, Jackson, California, Supreme Court Justice Leandra Kruger and south Carolina U. S. District Court Judge J. Michael Childs, J. Michelle Childs rather have been widely viewed as representing an early short list. So joining us now to discuss this is Representative Brenda Lawrence from michigan. Welcome to the show. We love having you on just how important is it that President biden chooses a black woman in this particular scotus pick representation matters. Um I always like to use the example when I was first elected as mayor and I was the first black and the first woman ever and I visited a school and a child who was about this little black girl that was about eight years old when she walked up to me and with this puzzle look and said you're the mayor. I said yes and she stopped and you could just see the wheels turning. She said then I can be a mayor to and we have throughout the history of this great country never had a black woman serve on the Supreme Court. It's time. You know, one of the things that I think about the Supreme Court in general in this pic is that President biden has pledged to pick a black woman, she will be the first black woman to serve on the court. It will also be the first time that there are four women serving together at the same time on the Supreme Court. Previously that number was three with Justice Ginsburg and then Justice Amy coney Barrett. That also matters right. The idea that this court is becoming more representative both racially and gender wise, doesn't it? Well, the numbers tell the story. 51% of America is represented by women. We are the majority population in this country. And so when some people go like, oh another woman, my goodness, we are not at parity. And the fact that you have the different perspective of women in ethnic groups and racial groups, it means a lot. I think you're exactly right. I'm reminded of a justice Ginsburg quote and I'm going to paraphrase where she was asked how many women, how many women will be enough women on the court? And she said nine because that would that's what it's been with men. So why not? I want to you know, this is this is a historic moment and it's black history month. And so one of the things that I wanted to talk to you about is making history in the present. Right. Uh and and especially as we have these conversations nationwide, these conversations continue about diversity and inclusion and representation. How do you think that this sort of next generation of leaders including this Supreme Court pick including people like you serving, serving in Congress, including people like the vice president. What impact does that have on the next generation of Children generally, but particularly black Children who haven't seen that representation before. I am I started my career on the school board and we deliberately had career days where people would come in and speak to the Children to expand their horizons to plant the ideal of all these different opportunities that are available to them. Nothing validates opportunity in America than to see diverse people in different roles, careers, occupations. The C suite. We often talk about that. And so when you can visualize it, you can work towards achieving that. And it seems like a tangible opportunity that you can actually have in America. And that's what I work toward. Is making sure non traditional roles and positions that we encourage, women and ethnic groups, different ethnic groups and racial groups to aspire to them. Because the brilliance in every american is not defined by their race or their gender, they bring so much to the table. And we in America will miss our opportunity to continue to build on our history of innovation, our history of economic prowess. If we don't have all hands on deck and we should remove every barrier that allows us to stay on that path. We're a great country. But we're great because we are so diverse congresswoman with this Supreme Court vacancy, This looming Supreme Court vacancy. One of the things that sort of come up among conservatives is that this is a pick that's based it's limited, right? Because it's based on race and gender with one senator in particular, Mississippi's roger wicker saying that it was affirmative action at play in choosing whoever the nominee will be. We don't know who she is yet. How do you respond to that? And the general idea that republicans already sort of brushing off whoever this person is again, who has not been selected. So, I just want to reflect on recent history where we had a different president and his recommendations for courts were actually rated as not qualified by the bar association. How sad is that? That these women who are the shortlists are brilliant. They are listed as qualified by their peers. They have checked all the boxes. The only thing is their their skin color and their gender is something that we will enhance the court when we pick them. You know, I often struggle with people, my emotions when people want to talk about affirmative action. And I actually like to use the example if we all line up to run a race. And as soon as you pull the starting gun, you break my leg and everyone else takes off and I'm I'm I can't run because you've broken my leg. Well, affirmative action means that you will fix my leg and you would put me in line with everyone else who have progressed and let me run the race equally with everyone else. I love that analogy. I think it's a great one. I'll probably use it myself if you don't mind. Um I can't let you go without asking you. Who do you want the president to pick? I want the president to pick the best qualified. Uh the women that are on the shortlist are amazing, and I am very confident looking at their credentials. I don't have a race, a dog in this race. I don't have a favorite. I just want the best qualified and I will be over the moon when my Supreme Court, the keeper of our constitution, our rights and our freedoms will include the journey of a black woman to the Supreme Court. But we'll have to leave it there. And I think that's a pretty good place to leave a congresswoman Brenda. Lawrence from michigan. Thank you so much for joining us for this conversation.