TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (March 9) -- 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."
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. "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.
The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court - according the requirements of protocol - has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling."
Breaking from tradition, Obama used the speech to criticize the court's decision that allows corporations and unions to freely spend money to run political ads for or against specific candidates.
"With all due deference to the separation of powers, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests - including foreign corporations - to spend without limit in our elections," Obama said.
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Jim -
I agree somewhat - it was an awkward moment and I felt bad for the justices sitting up front, surrounded by the "mob." It jumped out at me as unfair when I watched it.
By the same token, this very damaging 5-4 ruling had just been handed down and needed comment in the State of the Union. Obama couldn't skip the subject because of the guest list.
Several justices do not attend the annual speech - three skipped it this year. Stevens and Scalia - polar opposites in legal philosophy - both said they do not attend due to the speech's partisan nature. I'll bet that Roberts and Alito stay home next year.
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