On Tuesday, November 4th, Professor Robert Power spoke about the potential impact of the election on the composition of the Supreme Court as part of the Policy and Pizza in the Pit Series.
Professor Power opened his presentation with a consideration of what each presidential candidate had set about his philosophy for selecting judicial nominees. Of Obama, Professor Power noted, “He said he would appoint people with compassion and empathy, and that’s generally seen as looking for justices who are aware of the real effects of their rulings and interpretations of law.” Discussing Senator McCain’s philosophy, Professor Power said, “Senator McCain brought out a different answer. It was the more typical answer of Republican candidates, and that is; no judicial activists, and strict constructionists only for the Supreme Court.”