From judge to justice in 6 weeks: How Schumer got Jackson confirmed

A source familiar with the conversation says that Schumer suggested to the White House chief of staff that Jackson would be the best choice to get confirmed over the other names on Biden's short list.

The longer we wait, the tougher it will be.

Everyone in the caucus was against the idea of a quick confirmation. You can delay when you have 50 senators. Schumer said a lot of people wanted to delay until June, when Justice Stephen Breyer would be stepping down.

That was not an option for Schumer. The New Yorker is a member of the Judiciary Committee and is the majority leader. Schumer's confirmation of her to the Supreme Court was the top of his list of accomplishments.

The support of the two Democratic senators for Jackson was never in doubt. Schumer told Manchin to vote his conscience. The Democratic resolve to approve Jackson was strengthened by Republican attacks.

The biggest question for Jackson was how many Republican votes she would get. Despite the slimmest Senate majority in 20 years, the White House finally got an answer: Three, a bigger bipartisan margin than the two most recent Supreme Court justices.

Biden personally called several GOP senators who voted to support Jackson, including Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. A White House official said Jackson met with 97 senators.

Collins met with Jackson twice and spent hours on the phone with White House counsel Dana Remus before announcing her decision about a week before the final vote. There was a chance of a tie vote on the Senate floor.

Both Romney and Murkowski had their own timelines. In an interview, Murkowski recalled that she spoke to Biden before he announced his pick. She talked to Jackson on the phone. After going for an only-in-Alaska hike, Murkowski decided to support her.

The Alaska Republican said that he went out on a good spring hike to get clarity and not be swirled up with the politics of the matter. That's how I do it.

Romney mentioned that Biden asked if the Utah Republican had any perspective on the people that would be considered for the Supreme Court.

I told them that Judge Childs had the best chance of being confirmed. Romney said that he would take a deep dive and look at whoever he nominated.

Graham supported Jackson for the lower court, but he would oppose her for the Supreme Court. Many Democrats thought his push for Childs backfired after he lamented that the White House chose Jackson. Graham was asked by Clyburn if he could support Childs.

Republicans didn't make Jackson's confirmation a cake walk for Democrats, even though she wouldn't shift the conservative balance of the court. The transcripts from her time on the D.C. district court were requested by the team for her confirmation.

The relationship between the two men was relatively smooth, other than haggling over GOP document requests. Republicans questioned Jackson aggressively, but Democrats said most of them treated him with respect.

The biggest impediment to her Thursday confirmation was up in the air. A key committee vote was delayed on Monday when the plane of Sen. Alex Padilla was delayed. The news was called in by Durbin immediately.

I didn't know what it meant. If he didn't show up on Monday, the whole Senate would be delayed.

Jackson is the culmination of Schumer's goal to see a more diverse high court. Before Barack Obama had his first Supreme Court appointment, Schumer recommended that he appoint a New York circuit court judge named Sonia Sotomayor to the high court.

The majority of people we have approved are women.

58 district and circuit court judges have been confirmed by the Senate so far. People of color made up more than half of the judges.

Jackson's confirmation came at an opportune time for Biden and Schumer, as Democrats face political headwinds across the board. Biden's poll numbers are near an all-time low, inflation remains high and Democrats are struggling to revive their domestic tax and spending bill. Confirmation of high-profile nominees can be an easier lift than legislating after months of headlines about internal fights.

Jackson's Supreme Court proceedings raise concerns about the future. Supreme Court nominees from either party may never break the 60-vote threshold. Neil Gorsuch, one of the three Supreme Court picks by Donald Trump, only received support from one senator from the minority party.

McConnell could block another president from filling a Supreme Court seat if Republicans regain the Senate. I worry, Schumer didn't mince words on that prospect in the years to come.