--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a misconception about Barack…" description: "\"There's a misconception about Barack Obama as a former constitutional law professor. First of all, there are plenty of professors who are 'legal relati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-turley-23780_about_there-s-a-misconception-about-barack-oba_2858844.jpg" --- # There's a misconception about Barack Obama as a former… ![“There's a misconception about Barack Obama as a former constitutional law professor. First of all, there are plenty of professors who are 'legal relativists.' They tend to view legal principles as relative to whatever they're trying to achieve.” quote by Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-turley-23780_about_there-s-a-misconception-about-barack-oba_2858844.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-turley-23780_about_there-s-a-misconception-about-barack-oba_2858844.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-turley-23780_about_there-s-a-misconception-about-barack-oba_2858844.jpg) > “There's a misconception about Barack Obama as a former constitutional law professor. First of all, there are plenty of professors who are 'legal relativists.' They tend to view legal principles as relative to whatever they're trying to achieve.” [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote challenges the mistaken belief that Obama taught constitutional law and notes that many scholars adopt a relativist view of law, shaping principles to serve goals. **In simple terms:** It points out a false claim about Obama and describes legal relativism. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about expertise; recognize law can be interpreted flexibly. Themes misinformation legal theory interpretation Mood skeptical critical Type analytical explanatory When to use this quote - Academic discussions - media reporting - policy analysis - public debates Key Concepts Legal relativism expertise political rhetoric Questions to Reflect On - How does labeling someone a relativist affect public trust? - What are the risks of viewing law as purely goal‑driven? A Different Perspective Legal relativism can undermine objective standards and lead to selective justice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitutional law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutional-law/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Misconception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misconception/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Professors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professors/) ## Related quotes > [If nothing else came out of all of this debacle over Obamacare, one thing that should is a class-action lawsuit against the University of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-gohmert/if-nothing-else-came-out-of-all-of-this-debacle-over-obamacare-one/) [Louie Gohmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-gohmert/) > [“According to the law professor Richard Sander, more than half of all African-American law students in the United States—51.6 percent—are in the bottom 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/according-to-the-law-professor-richard-sander-more-than-half-of-all/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Law professors were never like economics professors," a Harvard Law professor told me. "If you disagreed with someone, you didn't call him a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/law-professors-were-never-like-economics-professors-a-harvard-law/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [ I do know that a law professor there \[in Columbia University\] published an article calling me a white supremacist. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/i-do-know-that-a-law-professor-there-in-columbia-university-published/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [A justice is not like a law professor, who might say, 'This is my theory... and this is what I'm going to be faithful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/a-justice-is-not-like-a-law-professor-who-might-say-this-is-my-theory/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [I'm not from the arts, I'm a law professor. But I think we need more poetry in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zephyr-teachout/i-m-not-from-the-arts-i-m-a-law-professor-but-i-think-we-need-more/) [Zephyr Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zephyr-teachout/) > [ The irony is that \[Barack\] Obama was a law professor at the University of Chicago. He would, most of all, know that what he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/the-irony-is-that-barack-obama-was-a-law-professor-at-the-university/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [“a close network of supportive law school friends is invaluable to your success and well-being. Because all 1Ls are in the same overcrowded lifeboat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-j-mcclurg/a-close-network-of-supportive-law-school-friends-is-invaluable-to/) Andrew J McClurg > [“The difference between the past and the present is that individual freedom and security no longer fall to be protected solely through the D…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pius-langa/the-difference-between-the-past-and-the-present-is-that-individual/) Pius Langa > [It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God,. to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-the-duty-of-all-nations-to-acknowledge-the-providence-of/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [“The other component was to build cadres through political education. Republicans sought out wealthy donors to set up foundations and think tanks as safe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lilla/the-other-component-was-to-build-cadres-through-political-education/) [Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/) > [Obama wouldn't have been voted president if he weren't black. Somebody asked me over the weekend why does somebody earn a lot of money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/obama-wouldn-t-have-been-voted-president-if-he-weren-t-black-somebody/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Most of us know nothing about constitutional law, so it's hardly surprising that we take sides in the Obamacare debate the way we root…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/most-of-us-know-nothing-about-constitutional-law-so-it-s-hardly/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [The Court is most vulnerable and comes nearest to illegitimacy when it deals with judge-made constitutional law having little or no cognizable roots in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-white/the-court-is-most-vulnerable-and-comes-nearest-to-illegitimacy-when/) [Byron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-white/) > [The current constitutional law places the president of the republic in an embarrassing situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-eduardo-dos-santos/the-current-constitutional-law-places-the-president-of-the-republic/) [Jose Eduardo Dos Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-eduardo-dos-santos/) ## More by Jonathan Turley > [There's nothing more dangerous than a place that doesn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/there-s-nothing-more-dangerous-than-a-place-that-doesn-t-exist/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [For states' rights advocates, the Constitution is like a contract that is openly violated by one party with impunity. On paper, the states remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/for-states-rights-advocates-the-constitution-is-like-a-contract-that/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [Bill Clinton was impeached primarily for criminal conduct: lying under oath and misleading a federal grand jury about his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Nixon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/bill-clinton-was-impeached-primarily-for-criminal-conduct-lying-under/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [Law professors like Obama tend to view the law as one means to an end, and others, like myself, tend to view it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/law-professors-like-obama-tend-to-view-the-law-as-one-means-to-an-end/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [It's highly ironic that it was the conservatives on the court who overturned so many statutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/it-s-highly-ironic-that-it-was-the-conservatives-on-the-court-who/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [While Congress saw some need to loosen the standard in the initial days of a war, it wanted the president to comply with FISA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/while-congress-saw-some-need-to-loosen-the-standard-in-the-initial/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [There's no question that Roberts will vote like William Rehnquist... If he swings, it will be from right to far right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/there-s-no-question-that-roberts-will-vote-like-william-rehnquist-if/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [For many, the recent disclosure of massive warrantless surveillance programs of all citizens by the Obama administration has brought back memories of George Orwell's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/for-many-the-recent-disclosure-of-massive-warrantless-surveillance/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [I supported Barack Obama. I wasn't very quiet about my support. I thought he was going to be a refreshing change to George Bush.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/i-supported-barack-obama-i-wasn-t-very-quiet-about-my-support-i/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [After almost half a billion dollars spent on the computer registration system for Obamacare, the website coughed, sputtered, and appeared to descend into an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/after-almost-half-a-billion-dollars-spent-on-the-computer/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [Truth be known, President Obama has never been particularly driven by principle. Right after his election, I wrote a column in a few days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/truth-be-known-president-obama-has-never-been-particularly-driven-by/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [Few people know that President Obama has used drone attacks many times more than Bush ever did. Obama's off the charts in terms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/few-people-know-that-president-obama-has-used-drone-attacks-many/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [In Washington, task forces work like Tylenol: they reduce the symptoms of scandal while leaving the substance untouched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/in-washington-task-forces-work-like-tylenol-they-reduce-the-symptoms/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [People don't seem to understand that the separation of powers is not about the power of these branches; it's there to protect individual liberty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/people-don-t-seem-to-understand-that-the-separation-of-powers-is-not/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) > [I've said it before: Barack Obama is really the president Richard Nixon always wanted to be. You know, he's been allowed to act unilaterally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/i-ve-said-it-before-barack-obama-is-really-the-president-richard/) [Jonathan Turley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) [Explore all 25 Jonathan Turley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's a misconception about Barack Obama as a former constitutional law professor. First of all, there are plenty of professors who are 'legal relativists.' They tend to view legal principles as relative to whatever they're trying to achieve.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonathan Turley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/there-s-a-misconception-about-barack-obama-as-a-former-constitutional/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/there-s-a-misconception-about-barack-obama-as-a-former-constitutional/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-turley-23780_about_there-s-a-misconception-about-barack-oba_2858844.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-turley-23780_about_there-s-a-misconception-about-barack-oba_2858844.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/jonathan-turley-23780_about_there-s-a-misconception-about-barack-oba_2858844.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's a misconception about Barack Obama as a former constitutional law professor. First of all, there are…” — Jonathan Turley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jonathan Turley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-turley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's a misconception about Barack Obama...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/there-s-a-misconception-about-barack-obama-as-a-former-constitutional/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-turley/there-s-a-misconception-about-barack-obama-as-a-former-constitutional/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```