Justice Roberts Should Be Expected to Defend ‘Obama’ Judge [OPINION]

A lot of my conservative friends took great exception with Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts (mildly) admonishing President Trump for his snarky remark toward the judge who ruled against the administration's asylum policy last week.

Can't we just agree that No. 45 is going to get snarky? Immigration is an emotional issue even with the best of those who usually can refrain from emotional outbursts. The judge on the receiving end of Trump's ire is Judge Jon Tigar of the liberal-dominated Ninth Circuit Court, with whom I almost exclusively disagree.

Especially on matters of immigration and asylum.

I do, though, think the president should be less impulsive as a speaker when in front of the media, a smartphone or the public in general. We have a brilliant balance of powers between the triumvirate of our society: Executive, Legislative and Judiciary. That separation of powers is an imaginary wall that most would agree should be left up.

So I'm okay with Justice Roberts' quick and far less venomous remarks than the media is portraying. "Let's give 'em something to talk about" is always part of the revenues, as she tells you with a gleam in her eye, so put down the pitchforks for now.

Number one, I like the idea of mending fences between the two sides, even if it starts with a non-partisan spirit from the judiciary. I don't happen to agree with his assertion that there aren't judges who are ideologues. Clearly, there is a battle for the ideology of the nation, and it is best fought with victories from the same judiciary.

That said, who but the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court should defend a federal judge from remarks better left unsaid by the President of the United States?

Number two, Who really cares what Roberts says, as long as he judges from the conservative position he is alleged to possess? If anything, he has built some political capital, or even street cred, with the Democratic Party. It will be tough(er) to condemn him weeks after they were heaping praise on him for coming to the defense of an Obama, and presumed far left, judge.

Of course, they will attack him the second he reveals a corner of his pinky fingernail to the right of center, but those in the middle will see it differently than those on the far left.

There is a hole in this, though. From the very loud megaphone, at the podium of the State of the Union speech, President Obama also committed a bad faux pas and admonished conservative Supreme Court Justice Alito, and Roberts decided not to respond. A bit concerning, I'll give you that, but I'm not yet where some of you already are with Roberts.

To my conservative patriots out there: keep your powder dry a bit longer with Roberts. I believe he is no liberal and that he is no fool.

Ken Pittman is the host of The Ken Pittman Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Contact him at talkerkenpittman@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @RadioKenPittman. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.