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University of Missouri Law School Associate Professor Thomas Lambert on Obama’s comments on the Supreme Court.
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Years my next guest -- was embarrassed by the president's comments on the Supreme Court.
My guest as a former law student of President Obama joining us now is professor Thomas Lambert.
Associate professor of law at the University of Missouri great to have you with -- professor.
-- to be here live so you were not impressed.
You in particular by what about the president's com.
Well you know the president's initial comments in the Rose Garden were really misleading and and he -- stated several things things -- obviously.
That's the present misstated the fact that the sprinkler.
Regularly overturns legislation that violates the constitution said it would be extraordinary and unprecedented.
But the Supreme Court to overturn -- statute that was enacted by a democratically elected legislature and that's just not true we've the courts been doing -- for over 200 years.
I was also really surprised to see in the president's initial comments.
His statement about judicial activism said that it would be inappropriate it would be activist.
In a way that conservatives.
-- regularly derided for the court to overturn the Affordable Care Act and and that's also simply not the case if you look at.
The cases that that conservatives have complained about a cases like room vs wade and then -- wall vs Connecticut.
The Supreme Court was creating.
Writes that didn't exist in the text of the constitution of finding writes that just weren't there.
And in this case there's a clear it's textual hook.
That that the court is looking out when is determining whether the Affordable Care Act is or is not.
Constitutional and that of course is the commerce -- -- right -- in the tax relish Asia for that individual candidate to that.
Of course right yes.
-- is not the same sort of cases wrote.
-- you know and that makes me wonder everyone talks problems Smart man this president is he's teaching you law.
And others over time.
Do you believe then that he just simply.
-- slipped.
Misspoke or do you think he consciously was aware that he was stating something that was not.
-- say correct.
Well Lou -- just -- were so egregious it's it's very difficult for me to believe that this was just.
A -- on the president's part.
It looks to me like he's trying to to influence the Supreme Court in this pending case and I believe that's -- inappropriate for sitting president.
What kind of -- your warranty.
Bright brilliant.
I'll go to proud I -- a teacher wants it.
Certainly bright you know -- he's that he's a Smart guy and he's excellent communicators we all know he's very likable -- a very popular.
Professor and I I very much into it this class.
I would say he wasn't particularly rigorous particularly by university Chicago standards.
And I say -- was -- easy -- are you saying he was it easy greater or -- war.
I was saying that the analysis.
I don't think the analysis was as rigorous and sophisticated as and that the standard and university of Chicago law class.
But that's not to suggest that he's not a Smart guy he certainly Smart guy.
Did you go to great and has nothing to me.
I got a pretty good grade in the class yes well there are on average -- -- -- are one -- -- clear about up -- sounds suspiciously like a VW professor.
We thank you very much for -- -- record -- -- about.
Like think we're up to be -- I could marginally -- to -- a good thing about it but it you're professor it's greater than it appears thank you so much.
