Supreme Court To Begin Term This Week With LGBTQ Rights Case; Tomorrow: Supreme Court To Open With Contentious Docket
WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. Tomorrow begins a new session of the U.S. Supreme Court and justices face several highly contentious cases and that includes cases on abortion, immigration, the second amendment, and LGBTQ rights. And with the majority of justices appointed by Republican president, conservatives are hoping for some big wins. It was just one year ago today that Justice Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in replacing the often deciding swing vote of Anthony Kennedy. And a short time ago, activists protested Kavanaugh and the conservative direction of the court by assembling outside the Washington, D.C. home of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. All right, let's discuss this new term with CNN's Ariane de Vogue. Ariane, good to see you. Just looking ahead at this new session, it is expected to be tenuous. How will the newest Justice Kavanaugh possibly play a role here?</s>ARIANE DE VOGUE, CNN SUPREME COURT REPORTER: You're right. It was just one year ago that protesters stormed the steps of the Supreme Court. They were so furious that Brett Kavanaugh had been confirmed after allegations of sexual misconduct that had occurred when he was a teen. Those came out during his confirmation process. He has always adamantly denied that it took place. But they're also furious about the direction of this court because the Supreme Court, like you said, is just about to start this new term. And the issues are really big issues this term. They'll be talking about gun rights and LGBT rights, abortion, and immigration. And they are fearful that Brett Kavanaugh, who took the seat of Anthony Kennedy, is going to move the court to the right on some of those issues because Kennedy, Fred, he served as the swing vote on so many of those issues.</s>WHITFIELD: And then, you know, just as his term is about to begin, we've heard from Ruth Bader Ginsburg, again, 86 years old, saying she's in good health, but also taking questions. Listen to one that stood out in particular.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you think people will characterize this period in American history?</s>RUTH BADER GINSBURG, U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: As an aberration.</s>WHITFIELD: As an aberration, she says. Why is it so important and vital? I mean, she sees it as important and vital for people to see her interacting with audiences and speaking out and speaking her mind like that.</s>DE VOGUE: Right? She speaks up there. She tries in her speaking events not to ever directly criticize President Donald Trump lately. But there she was talking broadly. And look, she is this four-time cancer survivor. She is the liberal lioness on the Supreme Court. She was diagnosed with her last bout of cancer last August. And she has gone on this extraordinary speaking tour since that diagnosis, since she said she'd gone through treatment. And she wants to send a strong message that she is in charge of the Liberal wing of this Supreme Court. She is ready to take the bench, to take this momentous term head-on. And that she will be there. And that she will be voting in these cases. So, it's been an extraordinary few weeks for this justice who has just captured the Liberals' attention as she does so many of these speaking events, Fred.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Ariane de Vogue, thank you so much. Appreciate it.</s>DE VOGUE: Thanks.</s>WHITFIELD: We've got so much more straight ahead in the "Newsroom". But first, meet this week's "CNN Hero", Robbin Carroll.</s>ROBBIN CARROLL, FOUNDER, I GROW CHICAGO: I started coming out to the community. The lots were all empty. The houses were getting boarded up. People were not coming outside. I stood on the corner and just asked anyone that walked by, are you interested in taking back your community? And everyone said absolutely yes. We are really brave space and courageous space. We're going to get there. We will work through all of what is holding you back to becoming the person and the potential that you have to be.</s>WHITFIELD: To learn more about Robbin's work, go to cnnheroes.com.