35 YEARS AGO TODAY, Justice Clarence Thomas was confirmed by a vote of 52-48 after the Democrats launched an all-out war to destroy him. They failed spectacularly. Despite the most vicious smears and lies, Justice Thomas never backed down. In a legendary exchange during the hearing, when Justice Thomas was told by Senator Hatch that there were rumors that he was going to withdraw, Justice Thomas said, “I would rather die than withdraw. If they’re going to kill me, they’re going to kill me . . . I’d rather die than withdraw from the process, not for the purpose of serving on the Supreme Court but for the purpose of not being driven out of this process... I’ve never run from bullies. I never cry uncle and I’m not going to cry uncle today whether I want to be on the Supreme Court or not.” God Bless Justice Thomas for his courage and perseverance in the face of such an outrageous assault. Justice Thomas is now our second longest serving Justice in American history, and more important, he has had more impact on American jurisprudence than any Justice in history. His opinions have led the way in returning the Court’s jurisprudence to the Constitution’s original meaning. Justice Thomas is an American hero and our nation’s greatest justice.