Topic: Righting Wrongs
Senator: Graham
Date: SEPTEMBER 13, 2005
Contents
GRAHAM: Let's talk about righting wrongs here. I think it stinks that somebody can burn the flag and that's called speech.
What do you think about that?
ROBERTS: Well...
(LAUGHTER)
We had the Flag Protection Act after the Supreme Court concluded that it was protected speech.
GRAHAM: Show me where the term "symbolic speech" is in the Constitution.
ROBERTS: Well, it's not.
GRAHAM: It's not. They just made it up, didn't they? And I think it stinks that a kid that can't go to school and say a prayer if he wants to voluntarily.
What do you think about that?
ROBERTS: That's something that's probably inappropriate for me to comment on.
GRAHAM: What do you think Ronald Reagan thought about that?
ROBERTS: His view was that voluntary school prayer was appropriate.
GRAHAM: I think it's not right for elected officials to be unable to talk about or protect the unborn.
GRAHAM: What do you think about that?
ROBERTS: Well, again, Senator, these are issues that are likely to come before the court, and I can't comment on those particulars because...
GRAHAM: Why are judges more capable of protecting or talking about the unborn than elected officials?
ROBERTS: Well, again, those are issues that come before the court on a regular basis in particular cases. And on my current court or the future court, I need to be able to approach those cases with an open mind and not on the basis of statements I make during a confirmation hearing.
GRAHAM: The point is that righting wrongs is a very subjective thing. And you will be asked to decide the fate of people with individual needs and individual desires, based on particular fact patterns and legal briefs.
I'm confident you can do that and that you will do that. And I don't think you need to make a bargain with me to right all the wrongs that I see in life to sit on the Supreme Court.
Contents
Prev
Next
Last
