Supreme Revenge: Ted Olson (first interview) | FRONTLINE

Ted Olson is a veteran Republican who successfully argued for former President George W. Bush before the Supreme Court in the Bush v. Gore case that decided the 2000 Florida recount. Olson served as solicitor general under Bush from 2001 to 2004, having previously worked for the Justice Department during the Reagan administration.

Watch Olson's candid, full interview conducted with FRONTLINE during the making of the May 2019 PBS documentary "Supreme Revenge."

Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Major funding for FRONTLINE is provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the Abrams Foundation, the Park Foundation, The John and Helen Glessner Family Trust, and the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation.

[rwnorris]

"A society deadened by a smothering network of laws while finding release in moral chaos is not likely to be either happy or stable."


-Robert Bork
Former Solicitor General of the United States

[joegervasi]

This poor dudes birthday is September 11. And on 9/11 his wife Barbara Olsen was killed. She was on one of the airliners.

[davidellinger]

"Trail of Tears?" This reporter needs to read on history. The comparison is really hollow.

[thequietyodelingyodeler]

the video description explains exactly why she was on that plane...

[cydoman]

Bork just came across as a man who enjoyed gamesmanship too much. He didn't come across as prudent, cautious or contemplative. He conducted his interviews as if he enjoyed attention more than he enjoyed being a public servant. That made him dangerous to the people. He had an ego so enlarged he tripped over it.

[robertfeinberg]

I think Jefferson was opposed to creating the Supreme Court, and he fought John Marshall over whether the Court should have the power to overturn acts of Congress.

[garymingy]

Wow, bork fired the special prosecutor ? I forgot that detail...on that Saturday night ? ...bork borked the prosecutor ...that was the Lynch pin ...

[lynndenault]

He couldn't understand it? Think about why people were so offended by this pick. Come on

[charlesmartin]

I found the person conducting the interview to be bias towards the views of Mr. Olson. Not what I have come to expect from Frontline. And no questions about the controversial 2000 election decision by the Supreme Court, and Mr. Olson's part in that case? Pathetic.

[jaein]

The man, Robert Bork, defended the Jim Crow laws. You have got to be frackin kidding me.

[roku]

I wish that all men in positions of power would take a class and listen to professionals in this field (working with women who have been sexually assaulted, raped or harassed) and listen to some of the victims and what it’s done to them psychologically and emotionally and then maybe they could learn that no woman is going to testify falsely about assault. I’m not talking about “buyers remorse”. I think there are some women who make a bad decision and have sex and think they’ll get something from it like a promotion, movie part, whatever and when things don’t turn out the way they bargained for then they FEEL taken advantage of and they turn it into something it’s not. That’s very different from sexual assault and workplace harassment.

[jessemery]

Is noone going to comment on how ridiculous his hair is???. How dellusional do you have to be to look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that looks good??? Lol

[Cruzeru]

BRILLIANT MAN!
His beautiful wife Barbara was killed on 911. I believe she was on flight 77.

[ezouras]

It is especially interesting when he is asked about Kavanaugh and how the Kavanaugh he know was not the person that Ford testified him to be. He said the same thing about Thomas. What conservative men don't understand is that when men interact with other men- and when they interact with other women - that same man could be vastly different. Abusive men are socially considered to be the "salt of the earth". It does not mean they don't abuse women. For this reason, I sadly feel conservative men will never understand or believe women. Olson will never see the side of conservative men that are abusive - they are smart enough to know not to bring that side out.

[SigmundS]

Revenge is a non-virtuous concept, almost evil. Love how PBS equates Justice Kavanaugh’s confirmation with revenge. Well done.

[ImpreccablePony]

A conservative? Accused of sexual harassment? Name a better duo. I'll wait.

[thetawaves]

The more republicans on the SC, the more power goes to big corporations.

[GK-upxz]

Olson’s analysis of Kavanaugh’s hearing conduct is weak and almost embarrassing…

[cydoman]

Bork just came across as a man who enjoyed gamesmanship too much. He didn't come across as prudent, cautious or contemplative. He conducted his interviews as if he enjoyed attention more than he enjoyed being a public servant. That made him dangerous to the people. He had an ego so enlarged he tripped over it.