>>> THIS IS A NBC NEWS SPECIAL
REPORT.
HERE’S LESTER HOLT.
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
WE ARE COMING ON THE AIR WITH
BREAKING NEWS.
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE RUTH BADER
GINSBURG HAS DIED.
SHE WAS 87, THE COURT’S OLDEST
JUSTICE AND SERVED MORE THAN A
QUARTER CENTURY.
APOINTED BY BILL CLINTON IN
1993, JUST THE SECOND WOMAN
AFTER SANDRA DAY O’CONNOR TO
SERVE ON THE NATION’S HIGHEST
COURT.
GINSBURG BECAME A TIRELESS
ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND
A RELIABLE ANCHOR TO THE COURT’S
LIBERAL WING.
AFTER MULTIPLE HEALTH PROBLEMS,
WILL TRIGGER A STRUGGLE OVER THE
REPLACEMENT WITH THE MAKEUP OF
THE COURT IN THE BALANCE ALL
DURING AN ELECTION YEAR.
JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT PETE
WILLIAMS LOOKS BACK ON A
REMARKABLE LIFE.
>> Reporter: RUTH BADER GINSBURG
WAS CONSISTENTLY A LIBERAL
MEMBER, SHE BELIEVED THE
CONSTITUTION GUARANTEED WOMEN
GREATER RIGHTS.
>> OVER THE COURSE OF TWO
CENTURIES, IT HAS GROWN AND
DEVELOPED SO THAT MORE AND MORE
PEOPLE ARE INCLUDED IN THAT
CONCEPT, WE THE PEOPLE.
>> REJECTED AFTER LAW SCHOOL
BECAUSE SHE WAS A WOMAN, SHE
BECAME A LEGAL CAREER AS A LAW
PROFESSOR AND PIONEERINGING A
ADVOCATE ARGUING A STRONG OF
CASES BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT.
IT WAS PRESIDENT CARTER WHO
APPOINTED HER TO BE A FEDERAL
JUDGE.
>> SHE HAS DISTINGUISHED
HERSELF.
>> PRESIDENT CLINTON PUT HER ON
THE SUPREME COURT MAKING HER THE
SECOND WOMAN JUSTICE.
>> IT CONTRIBUTES TO THE END OF
THE DAYS WHEN WOMEN AT LEAST
HALF THE TALENT POOL IN OUR
SOCIETY APPEAR IN HIGH PLACES
ONLY AS ONE AT A TIME
PERFORMERS.
>> AT THE CONFIRMATION HEARING
SHE STATED THE SUPPORT OF THE
RIGHT TO ABORTION.
>> THIS IS SOMETHING CENTRAL TO
A WOMAN’S LIFE, TO HER DIGNITY.
>> AS A JUSTICE SHE VOTED TO UP
HOLD ABORTION RIGHTS.
SHE WROTE THE COURT’S OPINION
PUTTING AN END TO THE MEN’S ONLY
POLICY SAYING IT WAS BASED ON
OUT MODED STEREOTYPES, JOINED
THE COURT’S MAJORITY IN STRIKING
DOWN THE DEATH PENALTY FOR
JUVENILES AND IN RULING THAT
QUOTE DEATH IS NOT A SUITABLE
PUN USHMENT AND VOTED TO ROLL
BACK BUSH ADMINISTRATION
POLICIES IN THE WAR ON TERROR, A
BLISTERING OPINION RENEWED THE
STANDING AS A FEMINIST ICON.
>> WE WELCOME TODAY JUSTICE RUTH
BADER GINSBURG.
>> SHE WAS NICKNAMED NOTORIOUS
RBG, A PLAY ON A RAPPER’S NAME
AND FEATURED IN A DOCUMENTARY
MOVIE.
>> I’M 84 AND EVERYONE WANTS TO
TAKE A PICTURE WITH ME.
>> SHE MARRIED A FELLOW STUDENT
IN COLLEGE, MARTIN GINSBURG, HAD
TWO CHILDREN AND SHE RECALLED
PRACTICAL ADD VISZ ON THE
WEDDING DAY. >> IT PAYS, MOTHER SAID, IT PAYS
>> IT PAYS, MOTHER SAID, IT PAYS
SOMETIMES TO BE A LITTLE DEAF.
[ LAUGHTER ]
I HAVE FOLLOWED THAT ADVICE WITH
ONLY OCCASIONAL LAPSES.
NOT ONLY AT HOME BUT IN THE
PLACES I HAVE WORKED.
AND EVEN IN RELATTING TO MY
COLLEAGUES AT THE SUPREME COURT.
>> A PASSIONATE OPERA FAN SHE
APPEARED IN SEVERAL WASHINGTON
PRODUCTIONS IN FULL COSTUME BUT
IN SILENT ROLES.
CHECKUPS AND INTERVENTION HELPED
HER RECOVER FROM THREE SURGERIES
FOR CANCERS AND DOCTORS INSERTED
A STENT AFTER DISCOVERING A
BLOOD VESSEL AND NOW THE MOST
POWERFUL LIBERAL JUSTICE IS
GONE.
PETE WILLIAMS, NBC NEWS, AT THE
SUPREME COURT.
>> AND AGAIN, JUSTICE RUTH BADER
GINSBURG DEAD TONIGHT AT AGE 87.
LET’S GO LIVE NOW TO PETE
WILLIAMS IN THE WASHINGTON
NEWSROOM.
PETE, WHAT MORE CAN YOU TELL US?
>> THIS IS A TIME OBVIOUSLY FOR
LOOKING BACK AT HER CAREER AND
CAN’T HELP BUT LOOK FORWARD,
TOO, TO WHAT HAPPENS NOW WITH
THE SUPREME COURT TERM READY TO
START IN TWO WEEKS, FIRST MONDAY
IN OCTOBER, THE USUAL START FOR
THE SUPREME COURT TERM.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW THAT
THERE’S A VACANCY?
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID THAT HE
WOULD NOMINATE A SUCCESSOR AND
MITCH McCONNELL OF THE SENATE
SAID THAT THEY WOULD TRY TO ACT
ON A CONFIRMATION FOR A
SUCCESSOR.
THE QUESTION IS, I GUESS, TWO
QUESTIONS.
ONE IS, CAN THE CONGRESS DO THIS
IN TIME WHILE THE -- BEFORE THE
ELECTION IN WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL
HAPPEN?
SECONDLY, ASSUMING THAT
PRESIDENT TRUMP DOES NOMINATE
SOMEONE AND THE SENATE TRIES TO
ACT ON IT, DOES THE SENATE HAVE
THE VOTES?
REMEMBER HOW CLOSE IT WAS WITH
BRETT KAVANAUGH.
THEY MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE THE
VOTES OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO
WERE ON THE EDGE.
LESTER?
>> WE ARE ENTERING AN
INTERESTING TIME TO SAY THE
LEAST.
PETE WILLIAMS.
THE DEATH OF JUSTICE RUTH BADER
GINSBURG IN THE SHADOW AND FINAL
COUNTDOWN TO A PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION, THERE’S GOING TO BE A
LOT TO TALK ABOUT, A LOT TO
COVER.
WE’LL BE ALL OVER IT.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE’LL BE ON