Great Lakes Wire

Following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court Bridget Mary McCormack appeared on WJR’s "The Frank Beckmann Show" to talk about Ginsburg’s legacy.

Chris Renwick, who was filling in for Beckmann, opened the show by noting that regardless of one’s opinions about Ginsburg’s stances, her service to the country and contributions to legal precedent can’t be overlooked.

“And look, I don’t really care if you agree or disagree with some of her stances on issues,” Renwick said on Beckmann's show. “But we have to honor somebody who deserves that recognition.”

Justice Bridget Mary McCormack | Michigan Courts

McCormack echoed Renwick’s statement, noting that Ginsburg is “an important American hero to many people.”

“I think a lot of people view this as a tremendous loss -- not necessarily even if they agreed with all of Justice Ginsburg’s jurisprudence,” McCormack told Renwick.

From her career as a lawyer to her personal story and the closed doors she turned into opportunities, Ginsburg left an indelible mark on society, McCormack said.

“When she graduated from law school, first in her class, she couldn’t even get an interview at a law firm. And she found a way to have a tremendously successful career, which is an inspiration for lots of young girls and for lots of young women,” McCormack told Renwick.

McCormack acknowledged that, as someone who went to law school in the late 1980s, she recognizes the ways in which Ginsburg’s hard work have benefited her.

“It’s her story, and what it meant for so many women and our daughters, that I think is what I’m focused on,” McCormack told Renwick.

McCormack recalled last year when her niece, who was in second grade, insisted that McCormack watch a documentary about Ginsburg’s life with her. McCormack’s sister told her that the family had already watched the documentary about a dozen times, at the young girl’s insistence.

“And I thought... it was a documentary,” McCormack told Renwick. “How is a documentary interesting to a second-grader? And I just think, her story, the things she achieved, when it seemed impossible, touched people.”