“It was beyond my wildest imagination that I would one day become the notorious RBG. I am now 86 years old, yet people of all ages want to take their picture with me. Amazing,” Ginsburg deadpanned, drawing applause from the crowd.
(MORE: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg treated for new pancreatic cancer)
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Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg poses with other Justices of the United States Supreme Court during their official group photo at the Supreme Court, Nov. 30, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
The news of her latest health problem, coming during the court’s summer recess, is the second cancer scare for Ginsburg in the last year. In December 2018, doctors removed part of her lung after discovering cancerous nodules. Recovery from the surgery caused Ginsburg to miss public court sessions for the first time in her 25 years on the bench.
(MORE: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dismisses health concerns: ‘I am very much alive’)
On Monday, Ginsburg spoke about her career in the law, forging a path for women at the high court, and her advice for being an effective judge.
“In my growing up years, I can’t say that I had a role model of a woman in law, because women were barely there,” Ginsburg said. “But I did have two inspirations – real and fictional. The first was Amelia Earhart … and a fictional character was Nancy Drew.”
(MORE: Robert Ballard of Titanic fame now searching for Amelia Earhart wreckage )
Rebecca Gibian/AP, FILE
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg sits onstage as a speaker of the David Berg Distinguished Speakers Series held in New York, Dec. 15, 2018.
(MORE: Ruth Bader Ginsburg battles cancer for 2nd time this year)
Asked about the characteristics of a sound judge, Ginsburg — who’s served on the Supreme Court for more than 25 years — singled out three: “Patience. The other is a willingness to listen and to learn,” she said. “Compassion is another quality.”
“Law doesn’t exist somewhere in the sky. It exists to govern society. Law exists to serve that society,” Ginsburg said. “So an appreciation of what law is about, to help keep society operating peacefully, I think is important to realize. It’s not some abstract exercise. It affects real people and judges should be cognizant of how law affects people that the law is there to serve.”
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
