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- Oct 25, 2009
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Scalia: State of the Union 'a childish spectacle'
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says the State of the Union address is a "silly affair" that has become too political.
The high court's most senior member says speech event is too political
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito have similar views on State of the Union
Scalia says he hasn't been to one of these presidential speeches since 1997
WASHINGTON -- Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia criticized the annual State of the Union ritual Tuesday night, calling the presidential speech something worth skipping because it is a "rather silly affair."
One of three justices who did not attend President Obama's speech at the U.S. Capitol -- along with Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito -- Scalia bemoaned that "it has turned into a childish spectacle, and I don't think that I want to be there to lend dignity to it."
"The State of the Union is not something I write on my calendar," Scalia said during his own remarks before the Smithsonian Associates at George Washington University. But he quipped, "I didn't set this up tonight just to upstage the president."
Scalia's views are shared by Chief Justice John Roberts and Alito, both nominated to the bench by President George W. Bush. Roberts once said the presidential speech has "denigrated into a political pep rally" and added that it was "troubling" to expect members of the high court to sit there expressionless.
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says the State of the Union address is a "silly affair" that has become too political.
The high court's most senior member says speech event is too political
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito have similar views on State of the Union
Scalia says he hasn't been to one of these presidential speeches since 1997
WASHINGTON -- Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia criticized the annual State of the Union ritual Tuesday night, calling the presidential speech something worth skipping because it is a "rather silly affair."
One of three justices who did not attend President Obama's speech at the U.S. Capitol -- along with Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito -- Scalia bemoaned that "it has turned into a childish spectacle, and I don't think that I want to be there to lend dignity to it."
"The State of the Union is not something I write on my calendar," Scalia said during his own remarks before the Smithsonian Associates at George Washington University. But he quipped, "I didn't set this up tonight just to upstage the president."
Scalia's views are shared by Chief Justice John Roberts and Alito, both nominated to the bench by President George W. Bush. Roberts once said the presidential speech has "denigrated into a political pep rally" and added that it was "troubling" to expect members of the high court to sit there expressionless.
