battles. but what really matters is that people understand the constitution and interpret it faithfully, because that is important for all of us regardless of whether we're male or female, black, brown, white. this is what unites us as a country, is our constitution and our founding principles. and anyone can lay claim to that and should lay claim to that, and it's not about what genitalia you have or what skin color you have. howard: well, that's a good point. but since you brought up clarence thomas, it was george w. bush naming him to replace thurgood marshall. leslie, why are emotions running so high in this media debate when everybody knows it's virtually certain that a 51-50 with kamala harris breaking the tie in the senate will confirm whoever priden nominates? and just -- president biden nominates? and just as the democrats lost with the battles over merrick garland and amy coney barrett and it doesn't change the 6-3 balance of the court? >> ah, howie, one of the reasons