Posted on 12/05/2004 3:37:08 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Soon-to-be Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Sunday that he could support Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia if President Bush nominates him to head the high court, but he bristled at the prospect that Bush could tap Scalia's colleague Clarence Thomas, calling him "an embarrassment."
Asked by Tim Russert about Scalia as a possible chief justice, Sen. Reid told NBC's "Meet the Press," "I cannot dispute the fact, as I have said, that this is one smart guy."
Reid added that while he usually disagrees with Scalia's opinions, "his reason for arriving at those results are very hard to dispute."
But the top Senate Democrat turned insulting when it came to the prospect that Bush might tap the court's lone black justice, Clarence Thomas, for the top spot.
"I think that he has been an embarrassment to the Supreme Court," the white Nevadan said, before deriding Thomas' intellect.
"I think that his opinions are poorly written. I don't - I just don't think that he's done a good job as a Supreme Court justice."
Despite his praise for Scalia, Reid accused him of having ethical problems, saying his support depended on whether they could be resolved.
"Ethics problems that have arisen since he was selected as a justice of the Supreme Court . . . where he took trips that were probably not in keeping with the code of judicial ethics. So we have to get over this," Reid claimed.
The Nevada Democrat, who supported a ban on partial birth abortion and bills himself as pro-life, predicted trouble if the Court overturns Roe vs Wade.
"It would be pretty difficult for everybody, so I think that's why the Supreme Court has wrestled with it," he said.
What kind of "trouble," Senator Reid?
Russert tried to paint Reid as a stooge of his Church's elders.
Name Clarence Thomas Chief Justice! Name Clarence Thomas Chief Justice!
Imagine a Republican calling a black jurist an "embarrassment" on national TV.
"I think that his opinions are poorly written."
I'd like to see Mr. Reid give some examples of this, without preparation from his staff. My guess is that he couldn't support this on his own at all. I'd go so far as to bet that he doesn't actually read Supreme Court decisions.
I think Reid is a self-made stooge.
Sounds like racist code words - let's ask Al Campanis or Jimmy the Greek.
It couldn't be that Thomas is about 10 yrs younger than Scalia that is troubling Reid, could it?
Reid is obviously trying to pre-empt a possibility of President Bush elevating Justice Clarence Thomas to Chief Justice, most likely due to Thomas's younger age. Either that or Reid is racist.
It's character lynching.
And, oh yeah... Mr. Reid? You Dems could've IMPEACHED Scalia if you really believed he was truly and provably acting outside the bounds of judicial ethics. So why don't you just... SHOVE-IT!
Reid's church elders?
Is Reid Mormon?
I've seen enough evidence ---- Harry Reid is a racist -pass it on.....
Though relative age is a good point, Scalia would be the better choice. Too bad that Thomas couldn't be set up to succeed Scalia if the time comes.
Bingo! These Dems are just so transparent.
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