Astonishing to see how many conservative reviewers want to defend this guy from "lynching." The fact is, Thomas's problem is not divisiveness but simple stupidity. Unlike Scalia, who has a lively if frightening mind, Thomas is a moron, plain and simple. Take this item from a Harper's index a few months ago:

"Number of words spoken by Clarence Thomas during Supreme Court oral arguments since February 2006: 132

Number of words spoken by Samuel Alito, the Justice who spoke the second-fewest words: 14,404"

Hey Faustine, I suggest you do some more homework. First of all FOX is owned and run by Right Wing Conservatives(Look it up if you don't believe me). I have read his opinions, he's a moron. Anything that sounds good, he got from someone else!

Principled interpretation of the Constitution; his concurring opinions always add something to the debate, are concisely-stated, and a pleasure to read. I don't agree with him most of the time, but I respect him for who he is as a jurist. To say he is in Scalia's pocket is a gross simplification and just plain wrong. How many of you spouting opinions about Thomas have ever bothered to read his opinions? If any of you bothered to read the man in his own words rather than parroting what you heard on Indymedia (or Fox, for that matter) you'd see things a lot differently.

He was the victim of a vicious media attack and lefto ambush, and got off on the wrong foot. I am sure that will never happen again as the nominees now have handlers.

An outstanding jurist. His opinions are always concise and readable (something that cannot be said of most of the other current Supreme Court justices). He's a man of honor and integrity and it's a shame the Democrats set out to lynch him during his comfirmation hearings. I used to lean to the left but after the Democrats dragged this good man through the mud, I joined the Republican Party.

I have respect for this man because of all the abuse he had to take from a pack of liberals during his confirmation hearing. It wouldn't have been so bad if these same hypocrites (Barbara Boxer is the most significant to come to mind) hadn't pulled a disappearing act with all of their outrage when Bill Clinton was being impeached for sex-related perjury or groping the wives of men who were committing suicide. He may not have a great mind but he has shown a lot of dignity and class.

Good at checkers, bad at chess.

Mr. Thomas is the hardest working legal plodder on the Court. Beyond the attempted public lynching of this highly respected jurist for political gain he has become easily one of the best jurists on the Court. His decisions in Lawrence, Webster, Stenburg and most notably establishment cases are adroitly written and logically sound. I personally agreed with his decision (and not Scalia's) in the winery case where he dissented in favor of states establishing provisions for sales of wine. As the youngest jurist on the Court I'm glad he'll be around for a long while!

An independent thinker, a courageous man, and he has lived a good life. He took education seriously when he was growing up, and was self-disciplined and motivated. He weathered the storm of lies directed at him by that woman from OU, Anita Hill. He shows more respect for the Constitution than most justices we've had. I wish that he and Scalia could live for another 100 years.

outstanding judge, a truly revolutionary judge. Those who have actually read his opinion know what i'm talking about. I think its odd it took this long for somone to acutally apply the constitution. his numerous solo conccurrences and dissents are going to form the basis of the next great movement in jurisprudence. this can be seen now, as a great many judges, and lawyers have becoming siting opinions, which are the most logically consistent opinions on the court today.

The Uncle Tom who made the U.S. Supreme Court, the highest Court in the land, the Court of last appeal, pretty much irrelevant. His nomination was probably the most cynical gesture made by the Bush Sr. administration. By any fair person's standards, this was a mediocre jurist. What qualified him for the Supreme Court? That he was a beneficiary of affirmative action who then turned his back on his own people? That he was the kind of hypocrite Bush Sr. could relate to? That he liked porno movies (who will ever forget Long Dong Silver?) and soda in cans? That he was a black (how could the Republicans be racist? This guy is black...) arch-conservative in lockstep with the tenets of the Bush Republicans? Hhhmmmm.....maybeeeee.....

Not worth 1/10th of a star. He might be a good person, but he's a laughable jurist. I'll sign any petition out there to support time limits for justices. They ought to be forced to serve no longer than 10 years...at the most. That way, the American populace won't be tainted and enslaved by bad laws and ass-backward jurists (like Thomas).

Maybe considered the most dangerous African American in America by liberal Democrats and even fellow African Americans. A quiet introspective man who side with his moral compass just as any other judge does. If people would actually read Supreme Court briefs, they may be suprised as what they find regarding Justice Thomas. IMHO, Justice Thomas is a great American Hero.

There is a 50/50 chance the recently elected (by popular vote landslide) President Bush will propose his elevation to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, if not, Scalia will be proposed. I think the decision is a tough one for Bush: Thomas his political strategic choice, forcing the minority in the Senate to incur the wrath of many, many minority organizations, or Scalia, the more qualified, longer serving Strict Constructionist constitutional scholar. The first real test for Bush in term II will give Americans an indication how he will wield the power of his mandate for the remainder of his term. Sandra Day O'Connor's replacement upon her retirement will be the second indication.

A terrible, partisan judge, who is completely unqualified to be on the supreme court. Hmm...sounds like another close ally to Bush Sr. who isn't qualified for their position. After sexually harassing an African America colleague, he cried lynching..., conjuring up images so terrible that everyone was scared to quesiton him further, or point out his incompetencies. BLACK MEN ARE NOT LYNCHED BY BLACK WOMEN. And for a black man who does not contribute to the well being of African Americans in any way, it is completely audacious for him to play the racism card.

A great mind and judge.

I felt he was unfairly maligned during his confirmation hearings. That being said, the reason why I rate him as bad is because he rarely ever brings up salient points or issues during oral arguments. Thomas usually sits at the bench without saying a word. He is also supposedly not a prolific writer like his more brilliant colleagues Scalia, Rehnquist, Breyer, Ginsburg, and Stevens.

Great man for the position, can't wait till G.W. can get a few more like him appointed and get the liberal bias out!!

Got into grad school on Affirmative Action now he is against it. Picks up girls by placing pubes on Coke cans. disgrace.

third -rate jurist the only reason he's there because whites like to shove him in our faces what a reject

He may be the ultimate target for contemporary liberals. He survived an attemped legal lynching when he was nominated;fortunately he survived.

Another awful justice who always votes with Scalia and ignores the Constitution.

Instead of being celebrated as one of historys most successful black Americans, Thomas was targeted for character assassination by the people who claim to defend minorities. Diversity is not only limited to color of skin, it does exist in the mind. Disagrements should never rise to the personal level that the honorable Justice Thomas had to endure in modern America. It is one thing for a white to be conservative but god forbid if a black man desires to have an original thought. This is the view that dominates the left and black America. Thomas is a man of high moral character.

It's funny how people assume Thomas votes in lock step with Scalia, when the facts show that nobody votes together more than Stevens and Ginsburg. I'm sure you racists who hate Thomas because he dared to be a black conservative are too lazy to look it up. Despite the knitwit comments on this site about Thomas, Clarence is easily the most original thinker on the court, and people who actually read Supreme Court opinions (majority, concurring, and dissenting) will agree with that.

Why couldn't he just have left Anita Hill alone?

Moron who is too lazy to form his own opinion therefore he always goes along with moron #2 Scalia. He's an incompetent fool who is only on the court as he was the only black republican Bush Sr. could find.

His history has been tarnished by the sexual harrasment scandal involving Anita Hill. In stark contrast to the great Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Justice, Clarence Thomas gives little opinions and votes against the rights of the individual in most cases. Clearly, his incompetence on the court can only be rivaled by the narrow views of the likes of Rehnquist and Scalia.

In law school, we gave him a nickname...Clarence "Me Too, Me Too" Thomas. Why? Because he doesn't seem to have an original thought in his head. Well known for never asking questions during oral arguments, he very rarely writes his own opinions, either. He seems very content to agree with Scalia.

This man is a joke and a disgrace to the African-American community. A staunch conservative who tends to put his foot in his mouth a great deal. He is definitely not a Thurgood Marshall.

Great justice. He shows a lot of guts, and is an extremely intelligent man... its too bad that many, like the media, make racist statements, calling him an "Uncle Tom".

Clarence Thomas can always be relied upon to support abuse by authority, corporate malefactors, and every conceivable villian in American public and private life. Not content with his perjury in his confirmation hearings, and no, I don't mean the Anita Hill testimony, I mean his "forgetting" his previously held convictions, he marches in lock step with that other truly evil reprobate, Scalia. When I was in law school, I held the Supreme Court, including all its justices, in a kind of religious awe. Since Bush v Gore, I am in permanent contempt of this court and its five right wing fanatics who poisoned democracy.

Turned out just fine.

Totally over his head. In no way had the expertise and experience to be named to the High Court. He's just there for ideological reasons. Doesn't write many opinions because he's not the sharpest tool in the shed. Also, you have to question the guy's ethics when you consider how he treated Anita Hill. A real slob and sexual deviant. But the rightwinger drooling apologists didn't listen to a word she said. Just lock-stepped in their support of Uncle Tom. The real problem is that this guy, who's only equipped to be a Compensation Judge in some jerkwater jurisdiction, is still young and will continue to contribute to the third-rate quality of the current SC for decades to come.

It is astounding that Justice Thomas gets any positive approval. The revisionists never worked so hard nor intemperately as they have to destroy a character. It was, and is, unacceptable for a modern liberal to tolerate opposition from anyone particularly a Black Intellectual.

While I don't deny the many barriers he has overcome, I think he is overrated. I don't see where in the Constitution he finds it allowed that the federal government screw the states in regards to medical marijuana laws; when he, from what I hear, used to blast owl(smoke pot) himself.

He is a good, decent man of integrity and is on the right side of the issues. He was unjustly targeted and falsely accused in an attempt to advance the political agenda of others. Any objective investigation into the situation proves that.

I only wish Thomas was more vocal. He tends to be the most reserved of all the justices, when he has great legal mind and a wonderful personal story of triumphing over adversity. The lynching of his character by the organized feminist lobby was one of the more shameful episodes in recent history... all the more so when those same organizations came to rescue of a President facing allegations of sexual harrassment and misconduct that were far more credible.