Re: POTUS Scolds SCOTUS

Jillian Bandes | January 28, 2010 12:30 PM

Justice Alito has received some flak for shaking his head at Obama after the Prez took a crack at SCOTUS' campaign finance decision. Jonathan Chait over at The New Republic puts it well when he asked, "What's the big deal?"

Have we really gotten so squeamish? I haven't seen a convincing explanation as to why it's so awful for Republicans to disagree with a presidential speech...Moreover, it represents the Washington establishment's prudish aversion to debate. I can see why a loud outburst might be objectionable -- though I'd prefer a feisty back-and-forth, like in Great Britain -- but to scold Alito merely for moving his lips in such a way as to show disapproval seems to be taking the prudishness to a new extreme.