WW Special Edition - "The Roberts Hearings"
WW Special Edition - "The Roberts Hearings"
Washington Week Show - WWSE0102C1 - WW Special Edition "The Roberts Hearings" Host Gwen Ifill, guests include Linda Greenhouse and Jeanne Cummings. 21.24.22 Senator ORRIN HATCH: Am I correct in interpreting that you're probably eclectic, that you would take whatever is the correct way of judging out of each one of those previsions. There may be truths in each one of those positions and that none of them absolutely creates an absolute way of judging. JOHN ROBERTS: Well I've said I do not have an over arching judicial philosophy that I bring to every case, and I think that's true. I tend to look at the cases from the bottom up, rather than the top down, and like I think all good judges focus a lot on the facts. We talk about the law and that's a great interest for all of us, but I think most cases turn on the facts, so you do have to know those, you have to know the record. 21.25.08 Senator LINDSEY GRAHAM: When the President introduced you to the United States, to the people of the United States he said you are a strict constructionist. Do you know what he meant by that and why he chose to use those words? JOHN ROBERTS: Well, I hope what he meant by that is somebody who is going to be faithful to the text of the constitution, to the intend to those that drafted it, while appreciating that sometimes the phrases they used they were drafting a constitution for the ages to secure the blessings of liberty for their prosperity, they were looking ahead and so they often used phrases that they intended to have effect.... LINDSEY GRAHAM: Is that term make you feel uncomfortable? JOHN ROBERTS: No. 21.25.48 Back in the studio with Gwen Ifill, Linda Greenhouse and Jeanne Cummings. 21.29.58 Senator JOE BIDEN: As you know in Major League Baseball, they have a rule, rule two defines the strike zone, it basically says from the shoulders to the knees and the only question about judges is do they have good eye sight or not. They don't get to change the strike zone. As much as I respect your metaphor, it's not very apt, because you get to determine the strike zone, what's unreasonable. Your strike zone on reasonable or unreasonable may be very different than another judges view of what is reasonable or unreasonable search and seizure. 21.30.35 Back in the studio with Gwen Ifill, Linda Greenhouse and Jeanne Cummings.