by James Oliphant
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has been showing a higher profile than normal lately. Earlier this week, he was up in Rhode Island speaking at a law school, with the press actually allowed to attend. Wednesday, the famously irascible justice spoke to students from Thomas Jefferson High School in Alexandria, Va. as part of C-SPAN's Students and Leaders series.
Scalia, in an engaging and charitable mood, told the students in his audience he wanted to talk about respect for the Constitution:
"The American people used to have some veneration for that document that seems to have disappeared in recent times," Scalia complained.
And he had his usual strong words for those who believe that the Constitution evolves and changes with the times.
"I don't think it's a living document, I think it's dead," he said. "More precisely, I think it's enduring. It doesn't change. I think that needs to be orthodoxy."
(Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, addressing law students at the Roger Williams University law school in Bristol, R.I., on Monday, said he doubts the Senate would confirm him if he were nominated today. (AP Photo by Stephan Savoia)
When asked about his intellectual influences, he pointed, unsurprisingly, to the framers of the Constitution. "James Madison, Alexander Hamilton. I would say John Marshall." He admonished the high schoolers for not having the read Federalist Papers in their entirety. (Can you download them to an ipod?)
Scalia said the part of his job he dislikes the most is reviewing the 9,000 petitions that come into the Court that implore the justices to take a case.
He also restated his longstanding opposition to placing cameras in the Supreme Court to observe the third branch of government at work. "If I thought a lot of Americans would really watch our proceedings gavel-to-gavel, I would say yes it would educate them," he said. Instead, he said, most viewers would watch a small part of oral arguments and come away with a misunderstanding of the high court's work. 
But Scalia is stepping in front of some other cameras, those of CBS News. He's slated to appear on "60 Minutes" on April 27, as reported by Tony Mauro of Legal Times, just as Clarence Thomas did last fall.
The reason? Well, Scalia has a new book coming out. But this isn't some tell-all tome. It's a treatise on legal advocacy. So much for Paul Sorvino being able to play him in the biopic.
Don't expect much beyond "60 Minutes" in terms of a media tour. (Charlie Rose is on the phone right now, we expect.) But there are some who would pay cash money to see Scalia on, say, "The View."
Here's a link to the C-SPAN talk.
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Comments
Well, I think Justice Scalia jus said it's ok fo the government to tap our phones.
After all, the fourth amendment only lists "persons, houses, papers, and effects". Nothing about phones. So if it's a "dead" document, they're not covered.
In addition, he believes the United States Air Force is unconstitutional. The constitution says that the Congrsss can raise and support Armies, maintain and support navies, and make rules for the regulation of land and naval forces. It say the President is Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy. Never mentions an Air Force. Since it's a "dead" document, and it doesn't mention air forces, we better shut the Air Force down right away.
Also, women cannot be President. The "dead" Constitution specifically refers to the President by the male pronoun "he". Sorry Hillary. We have to maintain orthodoxy.
Posted by: Injustice | April 9, 2008 5:53 PM
If it's a dead document, why have republicans fought so hard for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage? And what about the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus? It seems that the Constitution rises from the dead when it's convenient for Scalia and the republican party.
Posted by: Grandblvd03 | April 9, 2008 6:04 PM
Where in the constitution does it give the Supreme Court the power to take away from the States their right to control elections in the State? The Court's assigning the Presidency to George Bush makes Scalia a liar.
Posted by: c. perry | April 9, 2008 8:41 PM
How patronizing! "If I thought a lot of Americans would really watch our proceedings gavel-to-gavel, I would say yes it would educate them," he said.
This man is so out of touch with the real World that he may as well be living in the 18th Century. This is the kind of person, along with Clarence Thomas, that the conservatives hold up as the standard for what a SC justice should be.
Posted by: GW | April 9, 2008 8:48 PM
"The American people used to have some veneration for that document that seems to have disappeared in recent times," Scalia complained."
Finally some criticism of TeamBush.
Posted by: C.Morris | April 9, 2008 9:39 PM
Don't they say absolute power corrupts absolutely?
Posted by: lochnessmonster | April 9, 2008 9:51 PM
Hey, Bama and Hills supporters; Get on board with some support for the winner, or we may have two more Scalias on the SC. You have become confused in your enthusiasm for your candidate.
It may be too late.
Primaries are supposed to be discussions of fine points of difference, not scorched earth wars of personal destruction.
Posted by: C.Morris | April 9, 2008 9:51 PM
Come on 'folks', get real. Would you want your son in this nuts Boy Scout troop?
This is what 30 years of political apathy has wrought.
Posted by: The Lenin Sisters | April 9, 2008 10:14 PM
Throw the Bum out!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | April 9, 2008 11:41 PM
Alt Cap;
As so, my fellow fascists, I promise you I WILL get in the gym...
Posted by: TheReamer | April 10, 2008 9:16 AM
"I don't think it's a living document, I think it's dead," he said. "More precisely, I think it's enduring. It doesn't change. I think that needs to be orthodoxy."
Wow, Dems, IF it is within you to be fair, please read Judge Scalia's ENTIRE statement, then slice and dice and blast away as u no doubt will. It's the concept of a 'living, breathing, organic thing' that he is taking issue with. Mercy.
Posted by: Scott - Houston, Tx | April 10, 2008 12:53 PM