--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What Mr. Obama wants in a nominee isn't…" description: "\"What Mr. Obama wants in a nominee isn't really 'empathy' and 'understanding.' He wants a liberal, activist Supreme Court justice.\" — Karl Rove" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/karl-rove-3809_activist_what-mr-obama-wants-in-a-nominee-isn-t-r_212828.jpg" --- # What Mr. Obama wants in a nominee isn't really 'empathy'… ![“What Mr. Obama wants in a nominee isn't really 'empathy' and 'understanding.' He wants a liberal, activist Supreme Court justice.” quote by Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/karl-rove-3809_activist_what-mr-obama-wants-in-a-nominee-isn-t-r_212828.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/karl-rove-3809_activist_what-mr-obama-wants-in-a-nominee-isn-t-r_212828.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/karl-rove-3809_activist_what-mr-obama-wants-in-a-nominee-isn-t-r_212828.jpg) > “What Mr. Obama wants in a nominee isn't really 'empathy' and 'understanding.' He wants a liberal, activist Supreme Court justice.” [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that the nominee's supposed empathy is a cover for a liberal activist agenda. **In simple terms:** Nominee's empathy is actually a political stance. Key Takeaway Scrutinize true motivations. Themes politics judiciary ideology Mood skeptical critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - senate hearings - media analysis - public discourse Key Concepts liberalism activism judicial philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports the activist claim? - How does empathy differ from ideology? A Different Perspective May overlook nominee's legal qualifications. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activist/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal/) [Supreme court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supreme-court/) [Supreme court justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supreme-court-justice/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [It's like these people are programmed by Karl Rove. 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We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-diaz-balart/so-president-obama-wants-to-change-america-i-understand-that-we-don-t/) [Mario Diaz-Balart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-diaz-balart/) > [Now, I am under attack by the biggest force in military history, my little African son, Obama wants to kill me, to take away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaddafi/now-i-am-under-attack-by-the-biggest-force-in-military-history-my/) Gaddafi > [Obama wants to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the same thing we want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haim-saban/obama-wants-to-achieve-peace-between-israel-and-the-palestinians-the/) [Haim Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haim-saban/) > [If President Obama wants to keep calling for protests, then that will be his legacy, one of division, rich versus poor, old versus young,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hannity/if-president-obama-wants-to-keep-calling-for-protests-then-that-will/) [Sean Hannity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hannity/) > [President Obama wants to put free enterprise on trial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/president-obama-wants-to-put-free-enterprise-on-trial/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Well, the taxes that everyone else is paying are supporting lots of programs that were in place prior to Barack Obama's new spending. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/well-the-taxes-that-everyone-else-is-paying-are-supporting-lots-of/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) > [Barack Obama wants to be the power figure, he wants to be the face of the Democrat Party going forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/barack-obama-wants-to-be-the-power-figure-he-wants-to-be-the-face-of/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ An example is ObamaCare, which is now embattled in the Senate. If that goes through the way \[Barack\] Obama wants, we will have something… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/an-example-is-obamacare-which-is-now-embattled-in-the-senate-if-that/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [So, President Obama wants to change America. I understand that. We dont need to change America. We need to change the White House. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-diaz-balart/so-president-obama-wants-to-change-america-i-understand-that-we-dont/) [Mario Diaz-Balart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-diaz-balart/) > [Obama wants to be thought of as the president who freed us from foreign oil. But if he doesn't show some political courage, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/obama-wants-to-be-thought-of-as-the-president-who-freed-us-from/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [If President Barack Obama wants me to allow marriage for same-sex couples in my country (Zimbabwe), he must come here so that I marry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/if-president-barack-obama-wants-me-to-allow-marriage-for-same-sex/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) > [ My first \[executive orders as a President\] would be to get rid of a lot of the executive orders, especially on the border where… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/my-first-executive-orders-as-a-president-would-be-to-get-rid-of-a-lot/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I came to this country when I was twelve years old because my parents wanted to give me new opportunities to succeed. President Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/i-came-to-this-country-when-i-was-twelve-years-old-because-my-parents/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) > [If Mr. Obama wants to get things done, he must recognize that in Washington only the president has the power to make the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-fleischer/if-mr-obama-wants-to-get-things-done-he-must-recognize-that-in/) [Ari Fleischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-fleischer/) ## More by Karl Rove > [Well, I'm a Christian. I was a born a Presbyterian and became an Episcopalian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/well-i-m-a-christian-i-was-a-born-a-presbyterian-and-became-an/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [We face a brutal enemy who will kill the innocent for one purpose and that is to gain control of the Middle East and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/we-face-a-brutal-enemy-who-will-kill-the-innocent-for-one-purpose-and/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [We need to be asking for the vote in the most powerful way possible, which is to have people asking for the vote who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/we-need-to-be-asking-for-the-vote-in-the-most-powerful-way-possible/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [The labor movement must be destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/the-labor-movement-must-be-destroyed/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [You may be right that people say: You know what, we had Obama. He was inexperienced. The guy had great rhetoric, sounded good, looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/you-may-be-right-that-people-say-you-know-what-we-had-obama-he-was/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [I'm not a journalist. I'm a pundit. I'm a commentator, I'm somebody with an opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/i-m-not-a-journalist-i-m-a-pundit-i-m-a-commentator-i-m-somebody-with/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [ I think it was Osama bin Laden's \[idea to start a pre-emptive war in Iraq\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/i-think-it-was-osama-bin-laden-s-idea-to-start-a-pre-emptive-war-in/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [It's time to put America at the front of all of our agendas and to find ways to work together on common ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/it-s-time-to-put-america-at-the-front-of-all-of-our-agendas-and-to/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [But the world is a better place with Saddam Hussein gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/but-the-world-is-a-better-place-with-saddam-hussein-gone/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [As people do better, they start voting like Republicans - unless they have too much education and vote Democratic, which proves there can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/as-people-do-better-they-start-voting-like-republicans-unless-they/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [There is a difference between Senator Obama and Senator McCain. Senator Obama believes that the government ought to be able to take as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/there-is-a-difference-between-senator-obama-and-senator-mccain/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [I think wealthy conservatives are busy investing in profit and job creation and enterprise, and wealthy liberals, many of them either from the media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/i-think-wealthy-conservatives-are-busy-investing-in-profit-and-job/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [If you look underneath the surface of the Tea Party movement, on the other hand, you will find that it is not sophisticated. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/if-you-look-underneath-the-surface-of-the-tea-party-movement-on-the/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [To win in November, Republican candidates must show they are in touch with voter concerns about growth, jobs, paychecks, government spending and debt. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/to-win-in-november-republican-candidates-must-show-they-are-in-touch/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [Marriage is and should be defined as being between one man and one woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/marriage-is-and-should-be-defined-as-being-between-one-man-and-one/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) [Explore all 121 Karl Rove quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) ## More Activist quotes > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. 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Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Social media is not just another way to connect feminist and activist voices - it amplifies our messages as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/social-media-is-not-just-another-way-to-connect-feminist-and-activist/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [We must always refill and ensure there is a critical mass of leaders and activists committed to nonviolence and racial and economic justice who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/we-must-always-refill-and-ensure-there-is-a-critical-mass-of-leaders/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [I have never been an activist for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/i-have-never-been-an-activist-for-anything/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [When we criticize in Iran the actions of the government, the fundamentalists say that we and the Bush Administration are in the same camp.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/when-we-criticize-in-iran-the-actions-of-the-government-the/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [Because my graduate academic training at law school was not one that included most of the intellectual traditions I find useful for understanding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-spade/because-my-graduate-academic-training-at-law-school-was-not-one-that/) [Dean Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-spade/) > [I've been an activist in the LGBT community for a long time. 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I remember just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/i-ve-been-an-activist-since-i-was-a-teenager-i-was-always-curious/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [I think that compared to other politicians who have been put in jail in the past, compared to the human-rights activists in history who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-think-that-compared-to-other-politicians-who-have-been-put-in-jail/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Some kinds of activists are more willing to try stuff out, see if works and think on their feet, but some of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-green/some-kinds-of-activists-are-more-willing-to-try-stuff-out-see-if/) [Duncan Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-green/) > [Black gay activists should try to build coalitions of people for the elimination of all injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-rustin/black-gay-activists-should-try-to-build-coalitions-of-people-for-the/) [Bayard Rustin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-rustin/) > [You do what you know is good, because it's good, and then you have a certain peace of mind, saying, you've been an activist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-mcgovern/you-do-what-you-know-is-good-because-it-s-good-and-then-you-have-a/) [Ray McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-mcgovern/) > [Obviously the transgender movement has not progressed in the way that the gay and lesbian movement has. 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