Obama Slammed for Justice Thomas Slam

A Barack Obama supporter is defending Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas — the only African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice — regarding the Illinois senator's recent criticism of the judge.

Obama told the audience at Saturday [8-16-08]'s faith forum in California that he would not have appointed Thomas, saying, "I don't think he was a strong enough jurist or legal thinker."

But Cybercast News reports that Obama adviser Douglas Kmiec, a constitutional law scholar at Pepperdine University, and former legal counsel in the administrations of Ronald Reagan and the first President Bush says he is "disappointed" by Obama's remarks.

"Justice Clarence Thomas is one of the best appointments that have been made... he's the only justice on the Supreme Court who, prior to his appointment, had recognized the relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution."

Justice Clarence Thomas is the second African American to serve on the nation's highest court, after Justice Thurgood Marshall.

From The Rite Wing