One of the very few interesting questions asked of the two major party candidates by the Rev. Rick Warren during Saturday's presidential forum involved the U.S. Supreme Court.
Which current justice, Warren asked Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and John McCain, R-Ariz., would they not nominate if they were president? The answers weren't nearly as interesting. In fact, they were expected, disappointing and yet another indication of how our courts system has become over-politicized.
McCain, "with all due respect," of course, wouldn't nominate Justice Ruth Ginsburg. Or Justice Stephen Breyer. Or Justice David Souter. Oh, and Justice John Paul Stevens. It comes as no surprise that those four are the liberal-leaning justices on the Court. McCain offered little reason for why he thinks none of the four, specifically, belong on the Court, other than the tired reference to judicial activism - legislating from the bench. That's Republican Party code for a court making a liberal decision it doesn't agree with.
Obama, interestingly, singled out Clarence Thomas, a Court conservative. He said Thomas lacked the proper experience for the job when he was appointed in 1991, leaving an opening already pounced on Sunday by conservative commentators who question Obama's own qualifications for the presidency. Obama then went on to say he wouldn't nominate Justice Antonin Scalia, offering only that he disagrees with the justice's views. He then mentioned Chief Justice John Roberts, whom Obama voted against confirming in 2005.
Clearly, both candidates are interested in views rather than qualifications when it comes to Supreme Court justices. Apparently, either will continue the trend of partisan politics both parties have been guilty of applying to court decisions the past couple of decades. It's a disappointing prospect from two candidates who claim to have the ability to "reach across the aisle" and work with the other party.
From U.S. Supreme Court nominations to federal judge appointees to the Wisconsin Supreme Court races and its heavy infusions of special-interest cash, politics have overtaken the judicial branch. Neither Barack Obama nor John McCain seems interested in combating that. That's disappointing, though not necessarily surprising.
Which current justice, Warren asked Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and John McCain, R-Ariz., would they not nominate if they were president? The answers weren't nearly as interesting. In fact, they were expected, disappointing and yet another indication of how our courts system has become over-politicized.
McCain, "with all due respect," of course, wouldn't nominate Justice Ruth Ginsburg. Or Justice Stephen Breyer. Or Justice David Souter. Oh, and Justice John Paul Stevens. It comes as no surprise that those four are the liberal-leaning justices on the Court. McCain offered little reason for why he thinks none of the four, specifically, belong on the Court, other than the tired reference to judicial activism - legislating from the bench. That's Republican Party code for a court making a liberal decision it doesn't agree with.
Obama, interestingly, singled out Clarence Thomas, a Court conservative. He said Thomas lacked the proper experience for the job when he was appointed in 1991, leaving an opening already pounced on Sunday by conservative commentators who question Obama's own qualifications for the presidency. Obama then went on to say he wouldn't nominate Justice Antonin Scalia, offering only that he disagrees with the justice's views. He then mentioned Chief Justice John Roberts, whom Obama voted against confirming in 2005.
Clearly, both candidates are interested in views rather than qualifications when it comes to Supreme Court justices. Apparently, either will continue the trend of partisan politics both parties have been guilty of applying to court decisions the past couple of decades. It's a disappointing prospect from two candidates who claim to have the ability to "reach across the aisle" and work with the other party.
From U.S. Supreme Court nominations to federal judge appointees to the Wisconsin Supreme Court races and its heavy infusions of special-interest cash, politics have overtaken the judicial branch. Neither Barack Obama nor John McCain seems interested in combating that. That's disappointing, though not necessarily surprising.
