Guess what Barack Obama looks for in a Supreme Court Justice. Is it intelligence? Even-handedness? A law degree? No–he says it’s “compassion.” According to Obama, a good justice would be one, “who understands that part of the role of the courts is to defend and look after the interests of people who aren’t going to be protected through the political process because they don’t have clout.”First of all, the idea that courts are supposed to defend some sort of proverbial “little guy” is just ridiculous; as Obama–who taught Constitutional law here at the U of C–ought to know, judges are supposed to defend the Constitution.However, when Obama says that he wants a “compassion[ate]” justice, what he really means is a “liberal” one. Should the liberals on the Court have shown more “compassion” when they allowed the government to take away people’s home for private use?Obama has a reputation for saying what he means and meaning what he says, if you excuse the cliche. Unfortunately, when he says vapid things like this he loses major credibility in my mind.