Pres. Obama Contradicts Sen. Obama On Judicial Nominations

In 2006, then-Illinois Senator Barack Obama tried to filibuster Judge Samuel Alito’s nomination to the Supreme Court due to his conservative views.

1/26/06
“As we all know, there’s been a lot of discussion in the country about how the Senate should approach this confirmation process. There are some who believe that the President, having won the election, should have the complete authority to appoint his nominee, and the Senate should only examine whether or not the Justice is intellectually capable and an all-around good guy. That once you get beyond intellect and personal character, there should be no further question as to whether the judge should be confirmed.”

“I disagree with this view. I believe firmly that the Constitution calls for the Senate to advise and consent. I believe that it calls for meaningful advice and consent that includes an examination of a judge’s philosophy, ideology, and record. And when I examine the philosophy, ideology, and record of Samuel Alito, I’m deeply troubled.”

Ten years later, now-President Barack Obama, in his last year in office, is railing
against Senate Republicans who want to block his opportunity to appoint a replacement for the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Then came the question about his own efforts to delay the appointment of Samuel Alito back in 2006.

“How do you respond to Republican criticism that your position is undercut by the fact that you and other members of your administration who were in the Senate at the time tried to filibuster Judge (Samuel) Alito in 2006?”

2/16/16
“You know the a, look, I think what’s fair to say is that how judicial nominations have evolved over time is not historically the fault of any single party. This has become just one more extension of politics. And there are times where folks are in the Senate, and they’re thinking as I just described primarily about, ‘Is this gonna cause me problems in a primary? Is this gonna cause me problems with supporters of mine?’ And so people take strategic decisions, I understand that.”

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