Chief Justice John Roberts: Obama's State Of The Union Attack On The Supreme Court "Very Troubling"

The AP reports that "U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts said Tuesday the scene at President Obama's State of the Union address was 'very troubling' and the annual speech has 'degenerated to a political pep rally.' Obama chided the court, with the justices seated before him in their black robes, for its decision on a campaign finance case. Responding to a University of Alabama law student's question, Roberts said anyone was free to criticize the court, and some have an obligation to do so because of their positions."

"So I have no problems with that," he said. "On the other hand, there is the issue of the setting, the circumstances and the decorum. The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court — according the requirements of protocol — has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling."

"I'm not sure why we're there," said Roberts, a Republican nominee who joined the court in 2005.

Here is the the scene from the State of the Union that Justice Roberts was asked to respond to:

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