--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that the justices were totally…" description: "\"I think that the justices were totally answering the way that they should. I think that the senators, as best I could tell, for the most part, Democrat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/fred-thompson-8900_democrat_i-think-that-the-justices-were-totally-a_2031694.jpg" --- # I think that the justices were totally answering the way… ![“I think that the justices were totally answering the way that they should. I think that the senators, as best I could tell, for the most part, Democrat and Republican, respected that” quote by Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/fred-thompson-8900_democrat_i-think-that-the-justices-were-totally-a_2031694.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/fred-thompson-8900_democrat_i-think-that-the-justices-were-totally-a_2031694.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/fred-thompson-8900_democrat_i-think-that-the-justices-were-totally-a_2031694.jpg) > “I think that the justices were totally answering the way that they should. I think that the senators, as best I could tell, for the most part, Democrat and Republican, respected that” [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believes the justices and senators acted appropriately according to their duties. **In simple terms:** Judges and senators did their jobs correctly. Key Takeaway Trust but institutional processes. Themes justice politics institutional trust Mood skeptical reflective Type political analytical When to use this quote - court rulings - senate hearings - policy debates Key Concepts rule of law legislative oversight Questions to Reflect On - How do we ensure impartiality in government? - What safeguards exist for judicial decisions? A Different Perspective Political bias can affect perceptions of fairness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think we should have justices appointed that decide what they want to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-don-t-think-we-should-have-justices-appointed-that-decide-what-they-2/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think people are great in many different ways. So, I think some justices are great because they have extraordinary wisdom, they have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-kagan/i-think-people-are-great-in-many-different-ways-so-i-think-some/) [Elena Kagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-kagan/) > [I don't think we should have justices appointed that decide what they want to hear. It's all about the Constitution the way it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-don-t-think-we-should-have-justices-appointed-that-decide-what-they/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think justices of all stripes agree that stare decisis is important, but not an inextricable command. It's not inflexible; it's not absolute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-kavanaugh/i-think-justices-of-all-stripes-agree-that-stare-decisis-is-important/) [Brett Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-kavanaugh/) > [It's something, since the nomination and confirmation hearings of Justice Ginsberg, that's really become kind of an unwritten rule, this "I can't answer a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-bream/it-s-something-since-the-nomination-and-confirmation-hearings-of/) [Shannon Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-bream/) > [I think the nine justices think the solicitor general is the 35th clerk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-kagan/i-think-the-nine-justices-think-the-solicitor-general-is-the-35th/) [Elena Kagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-kagan/) > [The papers reveal that in several key abortion cases, justices were keenly interested in the perceived public reaction to their rulings - indicating that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/the-papers-reveal-that-in-several-key-abortion-cases-justices-were/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [It turns out that justices are also God’s children; and being of this world, their makeup consists of actual flesh and blood. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-turns-out-that-justices-are-also-god-s-children-and-being-of-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We give Supreme Court justices this freedom because we expect them to remain above the pull of politics, to avoid the effects of public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kohl/we-give-supreme-court-justices-this-freedom-because-we-expect-them-to/) [Herb Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kohl/) > [As president, I will only nominate judges - including Supreme Court justices - who will commit to upholding Roe v. Wade as settled law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/as-president-i-will-only-nominate-judges-including-supreme-court/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [You know, it shows how old I am. I can remember the good old days when the president picked the Supreme Court justices instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/you-know-it-shows-how-old-i-am-i-can-remember-the-good-old-days-when/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [If we put another two or perhaps three justice on, that's really what's going to be ­­ that will happen. And that'll happen automatically,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-we-put-another-two-or-perhaps-three-justice-on-that-s-really-what/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Hillary Clinton will nominate justices to the Supreme Court who are prepared to overturn Citizens United and end the movement toward oligarchy that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/hillary-clinton-will-nominate-justices-to-the-supreme-court-who-are/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [“The lawyers ceded their right to argue to case before the justices. A verdict would be rendered in secret, behind closed doors, with only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-berard/the-lawyers-ceded-their-right-to-argue-to-case-before-the-justices-a/) [Adrienne Berard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-berard/) > [In a recent decision of the Supreme Court, not made, however, by the full court, and concurred in by only four justices, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bates-clark/in-a-recent-decision-of-the-supreme-court-not-made-however-by-the/) [John Bates Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bates-clark/) ## More by Fred Thompson > [We are always just one successful terrorist attack away from a nuclear disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/we-are-always-just-one-successful-terrorist-attack-away-from-a/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [You can't buy peace by just wishing it and avoiding the challenges that other nations present to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/you-can-t-buy-peace-by-just-wishing-it-and-avoiding-the-challenges/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [The University of North Carolina-Greensboro has ordered a Christian club to allow non-Christians as leaders. While we're at it, let's put high school dropouts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/the-university-of-north-carolina-greensboro-has-ordered-a-christian/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [You can't substitute promise after promise with known violators of prior promises at the expense of protecting ourselves or setting an example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/you-can-t-substitute-promise-after-promise-with-known-violators-of/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [A new report shows that medicare and Medicaid made more than $50 Billion in bad payments during fiscal year 2011. Under Obamacare, that'll become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/a-new-report-shows-that-medicare-and-medicaid-made-more-than-50/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [After two years in Washington, I often long for the realism and sincerity of Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/after-two-years-in-washington-i-often-long-for-the-realism-and/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [Being a POW certainly doesn't qualify anyone to be president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/being-a-pow-certainly-doesn-t-qualify-anyone-to-be-president/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [In the end, we may be hurting the very people we should be concerned about - the inner-city poor, those who already have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/in-the-end-we-may-be-hurting-the-very-people-we-should-be-concerned/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [Jay Carney told the reporters at his morning briefing that he hoped they would watch the new movie about Obama's first term 'many times.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/jay-carney-told-the-reporters-at-his-morning-briefing-that-he-hoped/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/this-business-will-get-out-of-control-it-will-get-out-of-control-and/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [But if the Chinese mainland, the PRC, attacked Taiwan, we'd be obligated to come to their aid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/but-if-the-chinese-mainland-the-prc-attacked-taiwan-we-d-be-obligated/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [A new report shows that, in Virginia, gun violence has fallen as the sale of firearms has soared to a new record. In other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/a-new-report-shows-that-in-virginia-gun-violence-has-fallen-as-the/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [China is one of the world's greatest proliferators of weapons of mass destruction to these rogue nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/china-is-one-of-the-world-s-greatest-proliferators-of-weapons-of-mass/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [So China will be having to make some choices as to whose side it wants to be on. Hopefully, this will be the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/so-china-will-be-having-to-make-some-choices-as-to-whose-side-it/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) > [For example, lead paint in old houses can be a greater threat to children's health than lead that may be under some industrial site…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/for-example-lead-paint-in-old-houses-can-be-a-greater-threat-to/) [Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) [Explore all 77 Fred Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/) ## More Constitution quotes > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [While not widely reported, our victories in Iraq are plentiful. National elections, a democratic parliament and the drafting of a constitution are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gillmor/while-not-widely-reported-our-victories-in-iraq-are-plentiful/) [Paul Gillmor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gillmor/) > [In a recent decision of the Supreme Court, not made, however, by the full court, and concurred in by only four justices, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bates-clark/in-a-recent-decision-of-the-supreme-court-not-made-however-by-the/) [John Bates Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bates-clark/) > [The judiciary must not take on the coloration of whatever may be popular at the moment. We are guardian of rights, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-bird/the-judiciary-must-not-take-on-the-coloration-of-whatever-may-be/) [Rose Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-bird/) > [There is not a revolution that succe Women are suffering because they are being excluded. The high military council excluded women from the committee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/there-is-not-a-revolution-that-succe-women-are-suffering-because-they/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/free-government-is-founded-in-jealousy-and-not-in-confidence-it-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“The Court has a special responsibility to ensure that the Constitution works in practice. While education, including the transmission of our civic values from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/the-court-has-a-special-responsibility-to-ensure-that-the/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [Nothing from man's hands, nor law, nor constitution, can be final. Truth alone is final.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sumner/nothing-from-man-s-hands-nor-law-nor-constitution-can-be-final-truth/) [Charles Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sumner/) > [“I am apprehensive, Sir, that in the warmth of my feelings, I may have uttered expressions, which were too vehement. If such has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/i-am-apprehensive-sir-that-in-the-warmth-of-my-feelings-i-may-have/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) [Browse all 4,507 Constitution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that the justices were totally answering the way that they should. 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