While Wright was a student in an admiralty law course Clinton taught at the University of Arkansas in the early 1970s, she challenged him over the grade he gave her. She was also involved in Clinton's first political race in 1974 -- but she worked for his Republican opponent. Finally, Wright, a Bush appointee to the federal courts in 1990, remains a Republican.
That said, in some respects, her decision late Wednesday should not have come as a surprise. Her boldest decision in eight years on the bench -- until now -- was in January, when she barred any evidence about the Monica S. Lewinsky matter from the Jones case.