I was in the audience.  VK, I would not characterize any of her insights or comments as "defensive."  She was warm, gracious, thoughtful, and occasionally self-deprecating.  Lars Bauer, she meant that the issues/cases that come before the court for decisions were not created by the court; they come as suits that began between individuals and/or organizations from our society. 

It was a great affirmation to me of the reasonableness of the diverse group of 900 people in the main auditorium that we got through two hours of her roaming about the whole place with not a single shout-out nor unfurled banner, either negative or positive, from anyone in the crowd, no one was escorted out, and the only "whoop" came during the chancellor's introduction when he mentioned Princeton University, which was apparently someone else's alma mater besides the Justice's.

That's the American people I stll believe in and who I hope will take back their rightful presence in our political discourse.