Supreme Courtship
Supreme Courtship is a 2008 novel by Christopher Buckley, which tells the story of a Judge Judy-style TV judge nominated to the Supreme Court of the United States.
 Supreme Courtship book cover | |
| Author | Christopher Buckley |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Fearn Cutler de Vicq |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Satire |
| Publisher | Twelve |
Publication date | September 3, 2008 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 272 pp |
| ISBN | 978-0-446-57982-7 |
| OCLC | 212893548 |
| 813/.54 22 | |
| LC Class | PS3552.U3394 S87 2008 |
Plot summary
After several failed attempts to seek Senate approval for his Supreme Court nominations, perpetually unpopular President Donald P. Vanderdamp (nicknamed "Don Veto" by Congress) decides to get even by nominating Judge Pepper Cartwright, star of Courtroom Six and America's most popular TV judge, to the Supreme Court. Soon, Cartwright finds herself in the middle of a Constitutional crisis, a Presidential campaign, and entanglements both political and romantic in nature.
Analysis
As described by Buckley on The Daily Show on October 21, 2008, the judge character is an attractive, gun-toting, glasses-wearing spitfire who is inexperienced in politics, drawing the obvious comparison to 2008 Republican Vice President Nominee Sarah Palin. However, Buckley finished the novel in January, months before Senator John McCain announced his choice. He then jokingly announced his retirement from satire, to which host Jon Stewart replied "Once the satirical book comes true within six months, you're done."[1]
The Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dexter Mitchell has characteristics similar to Joe Biden, who chaired U.S. Supreme court nominations in his tenure. Buckley describes the character as "the cosmetically enhanced chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee who ran unsuccessfully for president and who never shuts up." He has admitted that the chairman in the book is based on Joe Biden.[2]
Many media pundits recognized the book's main conflict between the Chairman and Judge Cartwright as directly paralleling the contest between Vice-Presidential Democratic nominee Joe Biden and Republican nominee Sarah Palin.[3][4]
References
- "Christopher Buckley". The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
- "Joe Biden Inspired a Character in Christopher Buckley's "Supreme Courtship"". New York Post. 2008-10-07. Archived from the original on October 10, 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
- Morrison, Patt (2008-11-01). "Christopher Buckley Is Psychic! At Least About Sarah Palin". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
- "Buckley Reigns Supreme". Culture 11. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-02.