Thompson Defends Palin: She Hasn't Seen List Of Supreme Court Cases

Sarah Palin couldn't name a Supreme Court case that she disagreed with because she had yet to be given a "list of cases to see," Fred Thompson explained Thursda, on the Early Show with CBS.

"You know, I think you got the answer there of probably almost 100 percent of non-lawyer candidates if they have not been given a list of cases to see; `They might ask you about this one, they might ask you about that one.'"

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Thompson's odd defense came a the morning after CBS Evening News posted a clip of Palin unable to name a specific case she disagreed with other than Roe v. Wade. In a way, it was reflective of the tough bind in which the Alaska Governor has put her Republican defenders. While some conservatives have abandoned ship (calling on Palin to gently step out of the race), others have tried to lower the bar for acceptable standards for vice presidential candidate performance.

Thompson, for instance, suggested that it was okay for Palin not to have rudimentary knowledge of judicial history because she was not a lawyer. Of course, Palin is a journalism major but still couldn't name a news source she reads.

"Now, you could say she should have had time to go over that list," said Thompson, "and of course she will, and she'll have a chance to deal with the whole judicial side of things, which is new to people who are not lawyers."

Challenged by correspondent Maggie Rodriguez over the claim, the former Tennessee Senator -- as other members of the McCain campaign have -- turned his scorn on members of the media.

Mr. THOMPSON: She's coming in here with an array of things against her like nobody else ever has. There's a lot of people vested in her not doing well. The media...

RODRIGUEZ: But the Republicans want her to do well.

Mr. THOMPSON: She was not--she was not vetted by the media, she was not on the media short-list, the media does not like surprises, she's not giving the media access that they want. They're irritated about that.

Comments

[Whinger]

Fred, settle down and have a little nap!

Nobody cares what you think or say!

[sueno]

THOMPSON is a bum, he couldn't stay awake while he was trying to defend Bush
during his debates. Old "deputy dog" is still asleep at the wheel
and being stupid is his "idea" of smart.

[newshawk14]

Thompson was a pathetic excuse for a presidential candidate, and he hasn't improved as an apologist.

[Territc]

Why he is defending her lack of knowledge. She is vying for the second most important job in the US - that of the Vice President and as such she should make an effort to become more informed. Rove vs Wade is a big issue in the states and she should have done some reading on this. There is no excuse for her lack of knowledge. This is too important for her to mess up. She should not be in the ticket if she is not prepared to be serious about this position. All she has to done is surf the web and she will get more then enough info. Even I do that on daily basis and I am sure I am more informed than her and I am what she calls the "Six Pack Joe". Don't insult me by defending her ignorance.

[Earl]

Psst! Freddy! It's not a secret list!

[bekc123]

Hey, I took a Com Law class in college. That was 15 years ago. I am not a lawyer, I am a journalist. I can still tell you about New York Times vs Sullivan.

There are so many cases, a lot of which we learn through the general knowledge of the history of the United States.

She loses on this issue with me on two counts. She should know something about the Supreme Court.

[MissingAmerica]

I am proud to be one of the general public who keep in the know. We read constantly, and that coverage includes Supreme Court cases. One would think that being in that oil -rich state, she would know that many of them are concerning oil companies. The Exxon Valdez is prominent. There's also been Mobil Oil, Gulf and others. How about such cases as the cult in Texas?

She's less informed than the general public. She said she reads whatever is put in front of her. Well, I'm afraid hunting manuals don't count.

[1differentdrummer]

Yes, blame it on the media. What a phony Thompson is. She might not have agreed with the Exxon case allowing the damages to Alaska to be reduced, but then again maybe she did. The point is, she's uninformed, the greenest gourd in the garden.

[devinsbuddy]

Mooseburger Momma can be forgiven. Her list of read periodicals did not include any USSC cases. Actually her list didn't include anything. I think it's time for this Harriet Miers lone to go back to Alaska and clear up Troopergate and get ready for the shotgun wedding of the year.

[Bavaricus]

Wow, that's a great defense though and I wish someone would have told me about it when I was still a student. I'm sure it would have worked really well.

"Sorry, I don't know the answer because I didn't do my home work"

That would have made life so much easier for millions of students all over the world.

[retrocozayshin]

She doesn't have to be a lawyer to at least have a rudimentary understanding of important Supreme Court decisions. In fact, only three months ago she was on the news in her state declaring her disappointment in the Exxon-Valdez Supreme Court decision. How she could have forgotten about that is beyond most of us. The angle Thompson took there was complete b.s. But that's not surprising coming out of him. He is, after all, a hack. Her lack of any knowledge whatsoever of any SCOTUS decisions aside from Roe v. Wade reflects her complete lack of interest in national politics, and this fact is one of many reasons that she is clearly in no position to be running for the position of vice president of the United States.

[stardot]

Sarah reminds me of students I used to have, who could score pretty well on friday on an exam, but if you gave the same exam again unannounced on monday, their scores would drop 20-30 points.

Superficial memory, and a lack of true interest/understanding in the subject has that effect on people.

[BillORights1776]

Can someone explain to me why the R's are trotting out the guy from Law & Order.....I thought McCain hates Celebrities?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGO1NwMH3ds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr9S0DaTjvw

[egal]

Oh, yes, it's perfectly reasonable that somebody running for the second-highest office in the land wouldn't know any landmark, culture-defining, law-determining cases from the highest court in the land.

I mean, how can we expect her to have any clue about the cases that made our nation and our Constitution and our bid for equality and justice and humanity what they are just because she's running to be one heartbeat away from the presidency?

Sarcasm aside, I think we can safely go out on that limb to say that anybody who doesn't at least know the general results of pivotal cases CANNOT be permitted to become VP, because her ignoranc eis dangerous, willful, and crippling to anyone meant to serve our Constitution and our people.

It's not enough to know that Roe vs. Wade is a phrase excoriated by faux-conservatives, she should have to know what that case did, and the results of several others like those affecting gender equality, racial equality, executive privelege, Supreme Court power, suffrage (not suffering), slavery, basic human rights and freedoms, basic American priveleges, education, and so on and so forth almost ad nauseum...

...for those of us who, though we may not remember the dates or all the names of those cases, at least are aware of how they have shaped our country, as every leader should be.

[larrywb59]

Oh let's see how about Exxon vs Baker, this is one she gave an opinion on while mayor of wasilla. You know the one that reduced the payment from Exxon to the state of Alaska for the Exxon Valdez oil spill. But she is not goint to mention this because it involved the McCain campains biggest backers, the oil industy.