From National Journal's May 8 issue:

As liberal and conservative lobbyists exchange bitter salvos in anticipation of President Obama's choice to succeed Supreme Court Justice David Souter, Vice President Joe Biden must be experiencing deja vu.

Twenty-two years ago, then-Sen. Biden, D-Del., chairman of the Judiciary Committee, found himself in the national spotlight when President Reagan nominated Robert Bork to the Supreme Court. The battle over Bork was joined almost the minute he was nominated.

Liberal advocacy groups branded Bork a right-wing extremist far outside the mainstream. Conservatives countered that the Appellate Court judge and former solicitor general had superb credentials and was a powerful advocate for judicial restraint.

Subscribers to National Journal can read the full story here.