Jude Law as Jack Burden in “All the King’s Men”
Friday
The Senate Democrats (and much of the country) are frustrated that the GOP is hiding 90% of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s records, including evidence of what he did during his time with the George W. Bush White House. Reportedly there is controversial material to be found on race issues, abortion, and torture, among other things. By way of contrast, when Justice Elena Kagan was up for the Supreme Court, she had to share everything from her days in the Clinton White House.
We need Jack Burden to investigate.
Burden is the narrator of Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men, one of the world’s great political novels. Judge Irwin is proving a thorn in the side of Burden’s boss, Gov. Willie Stark, and Stark wants Burden to find dirt on him.
I don’t know enough about Louisiana politics in the 1930s to know if Warren is referring to a particular battle between the legislative and judicial branches there. I do know, however, that, on a national level, a very business-friendly Supreme Court was interfering with Roosevelt’s attempts to pass social security and worker protections. Perhaps some of that is at play in Warren’s novel. Judge Irwin is definitely on the side of the moneyed interests.
Irwin has been a father figure to Burden, who regards him as a saintly figure. In other words, he appears far less compromised than Kavanaugh. Stark’s view of human nature, however, tells him that Burden will find something:
I said, “But suppose there isn’t anything to find?”
And the Boss said, “There is always something.”
And I said, “Maybe not on the Judge.”
And he said, “Man is conceived in sin and born in corruption and he passeth from the stink of the didie [diapers] to the stench of the shroud. There is always something.”
When Burden says that he won’t frame Irwin, Stark tells him that framing is never necessary:
“I never did ask you to frame anybody. And you know why?”
“No.”
“Because it ain’t ever necessary. You don’t ever have to frame anybody, because the truth is always sufficient.”
“You sure take a high view of human nature.” I said.
“Boy,” he said, “I went to a Presbyterian Sunday school back in the days when they still had some theology, and that much of it stuck. And—” he grinned suddenly— “I have found it very valuable.”
Burden finds something all right—a bribe the judge took when a young attorney that ruined a man and made his own fortune—and when he tries to pressure Irwin with the information, the judge kills himself. Stark’s assessment of human nature proves to be correct.
Kavanaugh is not such a dramatic case, having neither Judge Irwin’s highs (he’s not particularly saintly) nor probably his lows (criminal behavior). Exposure of concealed documents will probably not lead to suicide.
Given his extreme views, however, they could peel away enough Republican votes to deep six his confirmation.
Then again, even GOP moderates appear ready to vote for anything that Trump and the GOP leadership want. High minded principles may lead Judge Irwin to end his life, but I’m not sure that current Republicans are experiencing even a fraction of his sense of shame.