Had Al Gore won the presidency in 2000, a lot of people thought, he would have put Judge David S. Tatel on the Supreme Court. The judge had a towering intellect, was a model judicial craftsman and, only incidentally, had been blind since his 30s. But George W. Bush prevailed, with an assist from a closely divided Supreme Court. Judge Tatel served for 23 more years on the U.S. Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia Circuit. He relied on people who would read to him, increasingly sophisticated technology and an astounding memory to produce a widely admired body of judicial work that included major opinions on voting rights, the environment and the internet.

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Persons: Al Gore, David S, Tatel, George W, Bush, John G, Roberts Jr, Samuel A, Alito Jr, Judge Tatel Organizations: U.S ., District of Columbia Circuit