Obama: Clarence Thomas Unfit for Supreme Court

[Riverside Rob]

Monday, August 18, 2008 2:41 PM

By: Jim Meyers Article Font Size


Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama declared that he would not have nominated Clarence Thomas for the Supreme Court because he was not a “strong enough jurist” for the job.

Appearing at a forum at pastor Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., on Saturday, Obama and Republican presidential rival John McCain were both asked which Supreme Court Justices they would not have nominated.

McCain said, "with all due respect" the four most liberal sitting Justices because of his different judicial philosophy.

Obama said: "I would not have nominated Clarence Thomas. I don't think that he … was a strong enough jurist or legal thinker at the time for that elevation. Setting aside the fact that I profoundly disagree with his interpretation of a lot of the Constitution."

He added that he also wouldn't have nominated Antonin Scalia, and perhaps not John Roberts,“though he assured the audience that at least they were smart enough for the job,” The Wall Street Journal noted in an editorial on Monday.

The editorial continued:“So let's see. By the time he was nominated, Clarence Thomas had worked in the Missouri Attorney General's office, served as an Assistant Secretary of Education, run the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and sat for a year on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, the nation's second most prominent court.”

Obama, on the other hand,“isn't yet four years out of the Illinois state Senate, has never held a hearing of note [with] his U.S. Senate subcommittee, and had an unremarkable record as both a ‘community organizer’ and law school lecturer,” The Journal observed.

“Justice Thomas's judicial credentials compare favorably to Mr. Obama's presidential résumé by any measure.”

© 2008 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

[Riverside Rob]

http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/obama_clar...

[Riverside Rob]

First he throws his White Granny under the Bus now he throws the First Black Supreme Court Justice under the bus. This is the same as a High school running back criticizing Fred Taylor.
Who does he think he is as far as his Legal stature. What cases has Barack won? What has he done other than edit a Law Review?

[SeaBass]

Obama has done nothing. He's the paper Obamessiah.

[noshellswill]

Hiz_honor CT has balls. No simpering, no wimpering no whining. Serves his country with distinction.

Osama could take a lesson.

[Phread01]

Riverside Rob wrote:

First he throws his White Granny under the Bus now he throws the First Black Supreme Court Justice under the bus. This is the same as a High school running back criticizing Fred Taylor.
Who does he think he is as far as his Legal stature. What cases has Barack won? What has he done other than edit a Law Review?

Gotta say I'm with him on this one. Clarance Thomas has been a horrid judge. When he actually writes a legal opinion, it's typically not based on precedent but his own personal beliefs. Not that he writes many opinions. He just votes with the right and gets back to playing with himself under his robes.

At least Obama answered the question. McCain responded to the same question by listing every single judge on the court that is left of center. Actually, he listed every single judge on the court that has voted left of the far right. He should have just said "I'd remove any Supreme Court Judge that I believe would get the people watching this debate to vote for me. Would you like me to say bad things about my mother also? I have no problem with that."
I don't know what happened to McCain, but I miss the man he used to be.

[Riverside Rob]

Phread01 wrote:

<quoted text>
Gotta say I'm with him on this one. Clarance Thomas has been a horrid judge. When he actually writes a legal opinion, it's typically not based on precedent but his own personal beliefs. Not that he writes many opinions. He just votes with the right and gets back to playing with himself under his robes.
At least Obama answered the question. McCain responded to the same question by listing every single judge on the court that is left of center. Actually, he listed every single judge on the court that has voted left of the far right. He should have just said "I'd remove any Supreme Court Judge that I believe would get the people watching this debate to vote for me. Would you like me to say bad things about my mother also? I have no problem with that."
I don't know what happened to McCain, but I miss the man he used to be.

I agree completely with the way McCain just ran down the list and stammered through that.
I'm no fan of either party but at least Bill was an Atty. Gen. of Arkansas and Hillary was part of many corporate cases for Wal-mart but Barack is the ultimate armchair quarterback here.
I wish we had better choices....sigh...now I'm depressed again.

[Riverside Rob]

* I meant I agree with your observation of Mccain not his list rambling. I need more coffee! haha

[Pappa]

BHO couldn't carry Clarence Thomas' jock strap.
Sounds like jealousy to me.

[Mr Logic in Jax]

Phread01 wrote:

<quoted text>
Gotta say I'm with him on this one. Clarance Thomas has been a horrid judge. When he actually writes a legal opinion, it's typically not based on precedent but his own personal beliefs. Not that he writes many opinions. He just votes with the right and gets back to playing with himself under his robes.
At least Obama answered the question. McCain responded to the same question by listing every single judge on the court that is left of center. Actually, he listed every single judge on the court that has voted left of the far right. He should have just said "I'd remove any Supreme Court Judge that I believe would get the people watching this debate to vote for me. Would you like me to say bad things about my mother also? I have no problem with that."
I don't know what happened to McCain, but I miss the man he used to be.

I think that one on the greatest down falls of country has been making the Supreme Court and lower courts a political weapon. This has been going on for many years and both sides are to blame. Do not were it started but to often those nominated for this court and others are based on balancing out the court verses selecting those who are the best qualified. I sure the case can be made that several of the justices currently severing were less qualified than others at the time of nominations. I wonder how many very well qualified individuals were rejected or even refused to run due to have the political anal exams are now conducted.

We long ago lost the balance of power between the three braches of government and to the determent of our country the judicial branch has became more of a legislative branch.

[Riverside Rob]

If Thomas is lousy in some eyes the Ruth Bader Marxist is a freakin' Joke.
Barack thinks she is too conservative.
Compared to who? Stalin!

[scott1]

clarence thomas is one of the best, if not the best justice on the court right now!

[Ole Sturdivant Slim]

scott1 wrote:

clarence thomas is one of the best, if not the best justice on the court right now!

and what do you base that on scott? Can you name a few rulings he has made that you liked? I think your just talking out of your ass. Again.

[EWWWW]

The only thing they got right about Clarence was his last name, His momma shoulda named him Uncle!

[scott1]

Ole Sturdivant Slim wrote:

<quoted text>
and what do you base that on scott? Can you name a few rulings he has made that you liked? I think your just talking out of your ass. Again.

what? you dont think i can support a black person on the highest court in the land?

[Ole Sturdivant Slim]

EWWWW wrote:

The only thing they got right about Clarence was his last name, His momma shoulda named him Uncle!

it was only a matter of time before we agreed on something.

[EWWWW]

Ole Sturdivant Slim wrote:

<quoted text>
it was only a matter of time before we agreed on something.

F*CK you! AZZhAt!!!

[Westside conservative]

In Grutter v. Bollinger, he (Clarence Thomas) argued that affirmative action stigmatizes all blacks, who are either promoted above their abilities or subjected to the unfair suspicion that they would not be where they are absent a racial preference.

One of many good decisions:

http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/author.php...

[Ole Sturdivant Slim]

Westside conservative wrote:

In Grutter v. Bollinger, he (Clarence Thomas) argued that affirmative action stigmatizes all blacks, who are either promoted above their abilities or subjected to the unfair suspicion that they would not be where they are absent a racial preference.
One of many good decisions:
http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/author.php...

Affirmative Action is the only reason Thomas was put on the court. Not only is he selfish he is also a hypocrite.

[Riverside Rob]

Obama wanted late term abortions that actually were born alive to make it so the Dr.'s would not save them. Just let the living Baby DIE!
What compassion he has!
That was in the Il. senate not US.