President Joe Biden on Thursday afternoon defended calling the U.S. Supreme Court “not normal,” warned expanding it would “politicize” it, and suggested conservative justices are beginning to get the message of just how strongly their legitimacy is being questioned by the American people after numerous allegations of corruption and lack of transparency.
“Do you worry that without court reform, this conservative majority is too young and too conservative? That they might do too much harm?” he was asked by MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace Thursday afternoon on “Deadline: White House” in a rare in-studio interview.
“Well, I think they may do too much harm,” the President agreed. “But I think if we start the process of trying to expand the court, we’re going to politicize it maybe forever in a way that is not healthy, that you can’t get back. I think – look – I think maybe it’s just the optimist in me, I think that some on the Court are beginning to realize their legitimacy is being questioned in ways that hadn’t been questioned in the past.”
He also suggested, “maybe even the Chief Justice” has “a concern.”
“You said this court is ‘not normal.’ What did you mean?” Wallace asked the President.
“What I meant by that is it’s done more to unravel basic rights and basic decisions than any court in recent history, and that’s what I meant by ‘not normal.’ It’s, it’s gone out of its way to – for example, take a look at overruling Roe v. Wade. Take a look at the decision today, how it’s, how it’s ruled on a number of issues that are, have been precedent for 50, 60 years sometimes. And that’s what I meant by ‘not normal.'”
The President appeared to be referring to Court’s decision Thursday morning effectively ending affirmative action admissions programs at colleges and universities across the country.
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