McCain slams Obama, “activist judges” in judicial speech

Fox News ^ | May 6, 2008 | Mosheh Oinounou

[Red Steel]

Winston-Salem, NC — Sen. John McCain slammed his Democratic rivals’ judicial philosophy and railed against “activist judges” who show “little regard” for the Constitution and even “less interest” for the interests of the American people, during a speech today at Wake Forest University.

“Some federal judges operate by fiat, shrugging off generations of legal wisdom and precedent while expecting their own opinions to go unquestioned. Only their favorite precedents are to be considered “settled law,” and everything else is fair game,” McCain said, addressing more than 2,000 University students, staff and faculty at the college’s Wait Chapel, before turning his attention to the Democrats. “”Senators Obama and Clinton have very different ideas from my own. They are both lawyers themselves, and don’t seem to mind at all when fundamental questions of social policy are preemptively decided by judges instead of by the people and their elected representatives. Nor have they raised objections to the unfair treatment of judicial nominees.”

McCain focused much of his fire at the Democratic frontrunner and continued to paint Sen. Barack Obama as elitist and out of touch–rebuking the Illinois Senator for using “vague words” to justify judicial activism and maintaining standards that “proved too lofty” to vote to confirm the “brilliant, fair-minded” Chief Justice John Roberts.

“He went right along with the partisan crowd, and was among the 22 senators to vote against this highly qualified nominee,” McCain said, as he completed a two-day swing through the Tar Heel state partially meant to steal some attention from the Democrats competing in today’s primary. “Somehow, by Senator Obama’s standard, even Judge Roberts didn’t measure up. And neither did Justice Samuel Alito. Apparently, nobody quite fits the bill except for an elite group of activist judges, lawyers, and law professors who think they know wisdom when they

[DoughtyOne]

Like Ginsberg, a judge you voted for John??????

This guy sure knows how to spin.

I think I’ll start calling him the Screw Driver.

[Always Right]

This is a big issue for McCain to win back some conservatives, although there will still be many who do not trust him on this issue. But if you know the makeup of the court and the ages and health of the judges, you would realize how critical it is for the Democrats to win the White House in 2008.

[DoughtyOne]

Listen up Republicans.  The Republican National Committee and Senator John McCain are looking for folks who are willing to let bygons be bygons.

Over the last twenty years, Senator McCain has taken on a lot of baggage.  Today he needs many of you to help him carry it.

If you're willing to help John carry some of the same baggage that Senator Ted Kennedy, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton have accumlated, please contact the McCain campaign and or the RNC at once.  It's going to take a lot of folks to carry this around between now and Tuesday November 4th.

If you're a Democrat in good standing and find some of this baggage to be appealing, you may find yourself compelled to help out, and we would welcome you.  We're asking anyone who doesn't mind carrying this baggage to contact us right away.

We have found a larger number of Conservatives unwilling to overlook what this baggage represents, than we thought we would, so we're reaching out to anyone that is willing to help out.

Please use the following numbers to offer help.  900-555-NUTS or 900-555-LFTY.

[MrB]

Republican Senators are under the mistaken assumption that a president has the Constitutional right to name judges that he sees fit.

Dhimmirats are under no such constraints.

[Redbob]

How about illegal immigration, Johnnie?

Gonna tell the good folks you sided with B. Hussein Obama, not to mention, Teddy “The Swimmer” Kennedy in your attempt to push an amnesty for wetbacks through the Senate?

Are you?

[netmilsmom]

I would rather take my chances with McCain picking judges than the Dems.

McCain is a Rino but we aren’t given any other choice.

[Always Right]

Like Ginsberg, a judge you voted for John??????

Republicans (and conservatives for that matter) tend to just accept that the White House gets to appoint judges and never really puts up a fight. She passed 96-3.

[taxesareforever]

Let’s hear him provide names of people he would consider nominating to the bench. Otherwise, I will consider this spin.

[MrB]

When talking to a leftist about activist judges,

they’ll try to classify any overturning of previous rulings as “activism”, pushing Constitutional constructionist judges into this category,

but they will avoid at all costs (or say “you do it too”) the fact that lib judges go into a case with a social goal in mind, and find justification wherever they have to go to find it.

If I had my way, any judge that put any reference to anything outside of the written Constitution into any ruling would be automatically impeached.

[hiredhand]

:-)

Good ole Juan McPain...still trying to pretend he's one of "us".

[Always Right]

I would rather take my chances with McCain picking judges than the Dems.

It is almost a given that Ginsburg (health and family issues) and Stevens (88 years old) will be replaced next. Even if McCain only could get moderates to replace them, it would still shift the court to the right.

[Mr. K]

McLame voted for Ruth Buzzi Ginsberg? (God was there ever a more apt comedic nickname!)

In fairness (and I don’t like McLame as our nominee at all) we often here made the argument that the president should get who he chooses- and clintoon chose Buzzi.

Unless the nominee is a real fruit bat (like Ms Buzzi)

[DoughtyOne]

So I have been wrong to trash Ted Kennedy for his Senate voting record? LMAO, just because there are only three Conservatives in the Senate, that is no justification for voting for the likes of McCain.

Wrong is wrong, whether it’s Ted Kennedy or Juan McCain.

[DoughtyOne]

Yep, you’re right, Republican, not Conservative.

[Darren McCarty]

And he voted for Roberts, Alito, and Clarence Thomas. That’s more than I can say about Obama and Hillary Clinton.
With Ginsberg 75 years old and Stevens 88, I want them replaced by someone who isn’t like them.

[DoughtyOne]

Bingo! He’s out of the closet...

How true!

[Always Right]

I am just telling you the facts on Judicial appointments. The GOP does not politicize them like the Dems. The GOP fights with its hands behind their backs, as they often do.

[DoughtyOne]

The President should get who he chooses, unless...

Ginsberg? No way in hell!

It’s a sad commentary on not only the Senate, but Juan McCain. Both are disgusting.

[incredulous joe]

I wonder if McCain is being educated, or if he is just saying the stuff I want to hear??

He’s hanging with Fred Thompson today during campaigning ~ that sure can’t hurt.