Chief Justice Roberts Remarks on State of the Union

We should expect a President who is contemptuous of the Constitution to disrespect other branches of government and dishonor the office he holds.

John Roberts recent comments about Obama's boorish State of the Union address make us wish the presidency was in the hands of someone as distinguished and thoughtful as the Chief Justice. And we hope that as long as Obama purports to be the President, the Supreme Court will refuse to dignify with their presence his clownish performances.

On a related note, we wish a very happy birthday to another very distinguished Justice, Antonin Scalia.

Chief Justice Says State of Union Speech has 'Degenerated to Political Pep Rally'

From The Examiner

U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts said Tuesday the scene at President Barack Obama's first State of the Union address was "very troubling" and that the annual speech to Congress has "degenerated into a political pep rally."

Responding to a University of Alabama law student's question about the Senate's method of confirming justices, Roberts said senators improperly try to make political points by asking questions they know nominees can't answer because of judicial ethics rules.

"I think the process is broken down," he said.

Obama chided the court for its campaign finance decision during the January address, with six of the court's nine justices seated before him in their black robes.

Roberts said he wonders whether justices should attend the address.

"To the extent the State of the Union has degenerated into a political pep rally, I'm not sure why we're there," said Roberts, a Republican nominee who joined the court in 2005.

Read the rest of this entry >>