McCain castigates Obama on judges
In response, Obama's campaign said McCain would pick judges who would threaten abortion rights as well as McCain's own campaign finance reform bill.
"What's truly elitist is to appoint judges who will protect the powerful and leave ordinary Americans to fend for themselves," Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said.
The Arizona senator said his role models interpret the law strictly, paying attention to what lawmakers intended, as opposed to "activist" judges who, by striking down statutes or court decisions, make laws rather than interpret them. "Activist" is a term conservatives use pejoratively to criticize liberal justices.
McCain did not spare his own party, pointedly criticizing opinions written by Republican appointees, Supreme Court justices John Paul Stevens and Anthony Kennedy. He didn't name the justices but used their writings to make his case against judicial activism.
McCain spoke derisively of Kennedy's 2005 majority opinion banning executions for killers younger than 18. McCain said the opinion contained "airy constructs ... as poor substitutes for clear and rigorous constitutional reasoning."
Kennedy recently defended his reasoning in the case, decided on a 5-4 vote, saying it was "a matter of interpretation of our own Constitution."
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Member Comments
Posted By: glimps @ 05/06/2008 8:08:36 PM
Comment: Old Mccain Must have beed Medicated to talk smack about Obama...
Mccain sucks like all Repblicans nothing new...
Posted By: voter1977 @ 05/06/2008 3:55:19 PM
Comment: I can see how McCain would be worried. Because there are no Conservative Justices on the Court:
Alito (Bush II), Roberts (Bush II), Thomas (Bush I), Scalia (Reagan)Kennedy (Reagan), Souter (Bush I), Ginsberg (Clinton), Breyer (Clinton).
Yeah, the court really needds more strict constructionists. Are you kidding me. We are lucky to have any rights at all at this point. I'm surprised the court hasn't struck down the Civil Rights Act, the ADA, eliminated Habeas altogether.
Posted By: Debunked @ 05/06/2008 1:42:01 PM
Comment: This article ends with a quote from Howard Dean, Why? I don't know. He is NOT worthy of his position and whatever voting record McCain has, I am sure it is more impressive than Obama's. Dean also stated that bringing up Wright is "race baiting". He needs to stop the nonsense! This is just his way of saying that we are going to scream racism should anyone bring him up!The issue of Wright is judgment and Obama himself said it was a legitimate issue! The race card is getting old and MORE and MORE people are getting sick of it being used towards almost anyone who does not agree with Obama! Whites who oppose Obama are racist, blacks who oppose him are "sell outs"! WHATEVER!
However, I have my own little theory as to why McCain decided to blast Obama on this decision even though according to the article, Clinton voted the same as Obama! Now personally, I think he should criticize both of them being that he finds it necessary to criticize anyone on this issue. However, McCain and his surrogates are going to attack Obama on alot of issues dealing with his judgment being that Obama based his campaign on judgment. But it is not just that, many people think that the Republicans would rather run against Clinton because Obama would be tougher to deal with. I think the general concensus is that this is not true however it is becoming evidently clear that any attack against Obama would be viewed as the Republicans being racists by Obama supporters! However, the republicans need to fight back and let them know that they are NOT going to play the fake race card and that it is getting OLD!!!
However, I feel that more conservatives are embracing Clinton a bit more---NOT because they like her---LETS BE CLEAR THAT MANY DON'T--but in the end, if McCain were to lose, they would much much rather for Clinton to become President than Obama! Just my two cents!