Desi Arnaz, Jr.

Not Desi.

I graduated cum laude from Princeton University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts in public policy.

While at Princeton, I competed and won the top debate speaker award at both the 1992 U.S. National Debating Championship and the 1992 North American Debating Championship.

That same year, I was named U.S. National Speaker of the Year.

Hello ....... is anybody out there?

After graduating from Princeton, I attended Harvard Law School, graduating magna cum laude in 1995 with a Juris Doctor degree.

Sotomayer?

I was thinking the same thing, but I couldn't recall her first name (Sonia, as it turns out).

If you're correct, congratulations.

Not her, but that's a good guess.

After clerking for two years, I took a position at a law firm in 1997, where among other matters I helped to prepare testimony for the impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton.

During the 2000 Florida presidential recounts, I assisted in assembling the Bush legal team, devising strategy, and drafting pleadings for filing with the Supreme Court of Florida and U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Bush v. Gore.

No idea

Let's see what we know (or can infer):

Likely born in the late '60s (given the '92 BA and the '95 JD), so early-to-mid-50s in age. That should have eliminated Sotomayor (if I'd been thinking about it).

Republican.

Cuban ancestry, so likely Spanish surname.

Lawyer involved in politics.

I'm thinking Ted Cruz.

(I seem to recall hearing that he was being considered for the Supreme Court; I wouldn't have realized that he was a lawyer except for that.)

I think you got it, Bill.

Arthur et al.

Apologies for not checking back in after making a guess. I simply forgot. I will be better. Also, no internet searches on my end.

Thanks for your understanding.

I think S2000magician nailed it as well.

Feral Chorus, thanks for your understanding. I hope you know I meant no offense. Just want to keep the game going smoothly!

And as “y’all” surmised, S2000magician’s process of deduction is correct. It’s Ted Cruz (given names Rafael Edward Cruz). My remaining clues would have been:

When I served as Solicitor General of my state from 2003 to 2008, I authored 70 U.S. Supreme Court briefs and presented 43 oral arguments.

After leaving the Solicitor General position in 2008, I worked in a private law firm in Houston, often representing corporate clients.

In 2012, I was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming the first Hispanic American to serve as a U.S. senator from Texas.

In the Senate, I played a leading role in the 2013 United States federal government shutdown, seeking to force Congress to defund the Affordable Care Act.

In 2016, I ran for President of the United States.

While I initially declined to endorse Donald Trump's campaign once he won the nomination, I later became a staunch supporter during his presidency.

In January 2021, I provoked a widespread political and popular backlash after filing objections to the certification of Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election. And after a mob stormed the United States Capitol, I was widely condemned and falsely accused of bearing responsibility for the riot.

You're up, S2000magician!

1. I was born in Bristol, Tennessee.

2. I studies classical music at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

3. I was a first lieutenant in the US Army Air Corps.

John Philip Sousa?

Not JPS, who, I discovered, served in the Marine Corps and the Navy.

4. I was the bombardier on a B-29 Superfortress flying missions over Japan in World War II, and, later, a bombing instructor at George Air Force Base in California.

Was it Paul Tibbets, who flew the Enola Gay? (I wrote the music for a documentary film in which he was interviewed).

It wasn't Paul, but that's an interesting guess (and an interesting bit about you as well).

5. Later still, I was a radio announcer in San Bernardino, CA and Pasadena, CA.