The Confirmation Hearing of Amy Coney Barrett

<p>It was a 12-hour session. Twenty-two senators took turns questioning Judge Amy Coney Barrett on her record and beliefs.</p><p>Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, evoked personal experience of life before Roe v. Wade and asked Judge Barrett whether she would vote to overturn abortion rights.</p><p>On that question, Judge Barrett demurred — an approach she would take to other contentious issues, including whether she would recuse herself if a presidential election dispute came before the court.</p><p>With Judge Barrett’s confirmation all but certain, Democratic senators pressed her more with the election in mind than out of any hope of derailing her rise.</p><p>Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The New York Times, gives us a rundown of the second day of the hearings.</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/adam-liptak?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank">Adam Liptak</a>, who covers the Supreme Court for The Times.</p><p><br /></p><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank">nytimes.com/thedaily </a></p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>In declining to detail her legal views, Judge Barrett<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/us/politics/amy-coney-barrett-supreme-court-hearings.html" target="_blank"> said she would not be “a pawn”</a> of President Trump.</li><li>With the hearing taking place closer to an election than any other Supreme Court confirmation — and with the Senate Republican majority at real risk — the proceeding was<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/us/politics/amy-barrett-supreme-court-democrats-republicans.html" target="_blank"> riddled with electoral politics</a>.</li><li>Judge Barrett’s testimony was a deft mix of expertise and evasion. She demonstrated easy familiarity with Supreme Court precedents but<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/us/politics/barrett-testimony.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article" target="_blank"> said almost nothing</a> about