Last Day Of Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmation Hearing Generates Memes, Tweets And Lots Of Hot Takes

On the final day of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson today, outside witnesses gave testimony as users on social media digested their remarks, leading to the creation of many memes. Moments from the previous day were also widely memed and discussed, particularly the define a woman inquiry that sparked viral debates yesterday.

"Do you agree… that babies are racist?"

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) asks Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson whether she agrees with the book, "Antiracist Baby" by Dr. Ibrim X. Kendi, which is in the library at a school on whose board she sits. pic.twitter.com/rXynOyK0yN

— Forbes (@Forbes) March 22, 2022

Among some circles on platforms like Twitter, Senator Marsha Blackburn was heavily mocked and criticized for misquoting the Constitution in a tweet, incorrectly writing that it grants Americans the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” — a phrase that is actually written in the Declaration of Independence.

The Constitution grants us rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – not abortions.

— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) March 23, 2022

Four hours later and still no one’s explained to her the difference between the constitution and the Declaration of Independence. https://t.co/CoGSScqK23

— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) March 24, 2022

Senator Ted Cruz was caught searching his own name on Twitter following his questioning of Jackson on Wednesday, prompting many to mock him. The questioning itself, which featured Cruz showing pages from an antiracist children’s book and asking whether she agreed that “babies are racist,” was called “absurd” by commentators such as Alan Dershowitz.

JUST IN: A photo taken by @kentnish shows Ted Cruz searching Twitter for his own name after questioning Ketanji Brown Jackson with debunked narratives and going back and forth with Dick Durbin. pic.twitter.com/elFtyB4Rlg

— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) March 23, 2022

I can't get over the fact that Ted Cruz yelled at Montana airport employees "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" and they had to call the cops on him because he was so pissed that he was missing his flight back to DC to ask Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson if babies are racist

— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) March 22, 2022

🧵SenTedCruz</a> grilled Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson - who would be the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court - about her views on critical race theory …<br> <br>by showing pages from books including “Antiracist Baby”.<br>✏️<a href="https://twitter.com/BenjaminEW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">BenjaminEW
📷@AP
➡️https://t.co/QQABVaItYa pic.twitter.com/5lYbvdZkhw

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) March 23, 2022

One of the outside witnesses, conservative attorney Keisha Russell, spoke about wokeness and Critical Race Theory, offering a bizarre account of Immanuel Kant and Critical Theory in general, which ignited philosophy Twitter throughout the day.

"Critical race theory is a subset of critical theory, which began with Immanuel Kant in the 1790s. Critical theory rejected the principles of the Enlightenment and the Age of Reason on which the American Republic was founded."

you have to be kidding me https://t.co/Ce1HhkZvWK

— Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò (@OlufemiOTaiwo) March 24, 2022

Many took the opportunity to point out some very un-woke things written by Immanuel Kant, who, far from being “anti-Enlightenment,” as Russell characterized him, actually helped invent and define the idea.

"To adduce only one example: one makes use of the red slaves (Americans) in Surinam only for labors in the house because they are too weak for field labor, for which one uses Negroes." – Immanuel Kant, 1775, from the early days of critical race theory

— Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò (@OlufemiOTaiwo) March 24, 2022

“Kant rejected the enlightenment” is a statement that makes about as much sense as “Taco Bell rejected seasoned beef” and yet it echoes from one of the most prestigious newspapers to the halls of American power https://t.co/4xajPbu74y

— dawzy concepts (@DawsonVosburg) March 24, 2022

A speech that New Jersey Senator Corey Booker gave while questioning Jackson Wednesday also continued to generate interest across social media. Booker shared his pride and happiness at seeing a Black woman become a Supreme Court justice, declaring “I won’t let my joy be stolen” by Republican attacks against Jackson. He shared personal stories about his family and career as a Black man in politics, which underscored the historical significance and emotional impact of Jackson’s nomination to the court.

Instead of re-watching Republican senators' racist, grandstanding attacks on Judge Jackson, watch this.

America is ready for Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. pic.twitter.com/jnDFF6SWRb

— Robert Reich (@RBReich) March 24, 2022

A hundred years from now Judge Jackson will be remembered as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.

No one will remember hawley, cruz or cotton.

— Covie (@covie_93) March 22, 2022

Others criticized Booker for "grandstanding" during his speech or being hypocritical for denouncing Republicans due to his infamous “I am Spartacus speech” during Kavanaugh's hearing in 2018.

Cory Booker, famous for his "I am Spartacus" moment during the Kavanaugh hearing, says that Republicans said things to Judge Jackson during the hearing that are "out of the norm" and "setting a dangerous precedent." pic.twitter.com/Mj2GwI3IsD

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) March 23, 2022

Ketanji Brown Jackson’s path to confirmation looks to be pretty clear despite the contentious week since Democrats have enough votes in the Senate to make her a Supreme Court justice on their own. Despite some false attacks by Republicans about her record on sex offenders (which were debunked even by conservative outlets like National Review) Jackson seems set to join the other eight justices on what will remain a 6-3 Supreme Court.