The Week April 3 -9

NATION

Justice Blackmun Retires

Justice Harry Blackmun, the U.S. Supreme Court's senior Justice and the author of the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, announced his intention to step down. During his 24 years on the high bench, the 85-year-old Justice -- chosen by Richard Nixon in 1970 -- underwent a highly public evolution from conservative to liberal jurist, becoming one of the court's most passionate defenders of constitutional liberties for ordinary citizens. Retiring Senate majority leader George Mitchell was reported to be near the top of the Clinton list of possible replacements.

Back to Work

After the Clintons ended their vacation by pitching ceremonial baseballs on the opening day of the season -- he in Cleveland, Ohio, she in Chicago -- the President took to the road to pitch his health-care reform proposal. At one televised town meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, Mr. Clinton took some heavy hits from questioners who challenged him on foreign policy and Whitewater. "Let me be President in 1994 while somebody else worries about what happened in 1979," an irritated Clinton responded.

The Medicare Gap Widens

A federal advisory panel issued a disturbing report on Medicare -- the second in as many weeks. The new report found that the program now pays doctors only about 59% of what private insurers pay, endangering some elderly patients' access to medical care.

The Cost of Welfare Reform

The President's yet to be unveiled overhaul of the welfare system, which includes a work requirement after two years, could add as much as $58 billion over 10 years to the nation's welfare costs and leave some families homeless, according to an Administration memo leaked to the New York Times. Clinton has yet to make any final decisions.

A Different Voting-Rights Plan

A federal judge ordered Maryland's Worcester County to adopt cumulative voting to elect its five countywide commissioners. The plan would allow each voter to cast five votes as he or she wishes -- for separate candidates or, say, cumulatively for one. The method would give black voters, who constitute 21% of the county's population, a chance to elect a black commissioner without creating a black district. The county plans to appeal.

No Warrantless Searches

Facing a tough decision pitting personal security against constitutional rights, a federal judge came down on the side of rights, ruling that police must have warrants before searching for guns in Chicago's public-housing developments, which have become gang- and drug-war zones. President Clinton immediately ordered the Justice and Housing departments to develop a constitutionally permissible search policy to capture the guns and help protect residents.

King Trial Revisionism

Having testified at the Rodney King criminal trials that fellow officers bashed King in the head with their clubs, Theodore Briseno did an about-face at King's $9 million civil trial, stating this time that the blows actually hit King's arm. Why the flip-flop? Briseno said watching an enhanced version of the 1991 videotape changed his mind.

Crayon Recall