Until his nomination was rejected, John Rutledge briefly succeeded this first chief justice
[DOC] [TLE] Getting There: A Brief History of the Politics of Supreme Court ... [PAR] Candidates for the Court are rejected based on general opposition to the 
President when ... Tyler's first nominee, John Spencer, was a veteran Whig who 
had held .... appointment, Rutledge presided over the Court as Chief Justice 
during the August ... before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation 
hearings, a.