And there is nothing like a reminder of peoples mortality, to make you realise what could have happended.
http://www.savethecourt.org/content/mccains-ideal-judgeIn Their Own Words
Here's McCain and his backers in their own words, assuring right-wingers he'll appoint justices they'll like.
"He pledged to appoint... people in the model of Sam Alito, John Roberts and Antonin Scalia. On the big issues, he may not have been your first choice, but... he's your only choice..."
— Ralph Reed, the former executive director of the Christian Coalition, quoted in The Detroit News, June 20, 2008
"John McCain has said he wants a judge who will judge and not make law, like (John) Roberts and (Samuel) Alito," Kyl said. "Nothing else should matter except, under the law, who's entitled to win.""
— McCain supporter Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ), quoted in USA Today, June 19, 2008
"McCain heard from one man concerned about his record with social conservatives and the possibility that liberal judges could get onto the Supreme Court. He wanted McCain to outline his philosophy for nominating to the high court. McCain responded by saying he supported recent nominations of justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito..."
— The Tennessean, McCain Talks Social Issues in Nashville Visit, June 3, 2008
"A President should have confidence in the judicial philosophy of those he is appointing to the bench. That is why
strongly supported John Roberts and Samuel Alito for the Supreme Court and that is why he would seek men and women like them as his judicial appointees."
— John McCain's "Strict Constructionist Philosophy" page on JohnMcCain.com, 2008
"The president of the United States appoints all federal judges. Senator McCain has stated he will appoint justices like John Roberts and Sam Alito, and Antonin Scalia, all of whom seem likely to vote to uphold individual gun rights."
— Sandy Froman of the National Rifle Association, in an op-ed titled "Guns and Judges," May 15, 2008
"McCain's speech on Tuesday appeared to soothe at least some wary conservatives, among them the Rev. Richard Land, with the Southern Baptist Convention, who said this year that McCain had to speak out in language that indicated there would be 'no more Souters.' Land was referring to Justice David Souter, an appointee of the first President Bush who has been a disappointment to the right."
— The New York Times, "McCain Assures Conservatives of His Stance on Judges," May 7, 2008
"I thought it was an excellent speech and one which I think will be of tremendous help to him in encouraging evangelicals and Catholics and other social conservatives to vote for him... When he talks about judicial restraint, when he talks about judicial humility, when he talks about Roberts and Alito being the template for the kind of judges that he would nominate — that is symphonic music to the ears of social conservatives."
— Richard Land, President of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, as quoted in The Baptist Press, May 6, 2008
HANNITY: Who is your favorite Supreme Court justice?
MCCAIN: I would have to say Roberts, probably. I think — and I think particularly in his position as chief justice. I think he is really a remarkable leader. I respect and admire Alito. Scalia I have disagreed with on a couple of things, but the fact is he is a staunch conservative.
But I would have to say Roberts. But the important thing — the important thing is nominate judges who have a strict interpretation of the Constitution of the United States. And that is going to be a big job for the next president because everybody says there could be at least two vacancies on the United States Supreme Court.
HANNITY: And those would be the type of justices you would look for.
MCCAIN: Absolutely.
HANNITY: No more David Souters.
MCCAIN: Oh, no. It has to be a proven record in my view. A proven record and there's plenty of, frankly, justices out there that we were able to get through that have that background and record, judicial record on lower courts.
— John McCain being interviewed on Hannity & Colmes, March 13, 2008
"Mr. McCain, who backed an unsuccessful filibuster of a Clinton judicial nominee in 1994, has begun to discuss his support for Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito as illustrative of the types of judges he would seek out. 'I am proud of my advocacy of Alito and Roberts,' Mr. McCain said."
— Gary Bauer in a The New York Times, "Distrust of McCain Lingers Over ’05 Deal on Judges," Feb. 25, 2008
"We know what sort of justices Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama would appoint. Both voted against John Roberts and Samuel Alito and have spoken admiringly of the court's most liberal justices. Mr. McCain, on the other hand, voted to confirm both Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito, and he has pledged to nominate 'strict constructionist' judges in the mold of the court's four conservative members. With so many Supreme Court rulings — including those concerning abortion, affirmative action, states' rights, the Second Amendment and religious freedom — being decided by slim 5-4 margins, the prospect of either Democratic candidate nominating even one justice should be enough to rally conservatives around Mr. McCain."
— Gary Bauer in a Washington Times op-ed, Feb. 12, 2008
"'Like me, Senator McCain has a long history of supporting life. I believe that as he has stated time and time again, he will nominate judges who understand that the role of the federal courts is not to legislate from the bench. His proven record of protecting human dignity, the institution of marriage and protecting children of all ages is long held and I look forward to working together with him to advance these moral principles,' said Jim Gilmore, former Virginia governor and current U.S. Senate candidate.
'John McCain is dedicated to nominating judges to the federal judiciary who understand their job is to interpret law, not to legislate from the bench. His commitment to nominate judges in the vein of Alito and Roberts is extremely important. There is no one in the field of presidential candidates better equipped to drive this process than John McCain,' stated Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell."
— As quoted in a McCain campaign press release, Feb. 12, 2008