CNN’s Jim Acosta and Fareed Zakaria Lambast ‘Idiot’ Justice Alito for ‘Cheap’, ‘Most Undignified’ Speech, Compare it to ‘Vegas Act’
During Sunday’s episode of CNN Newsroom, host Jim Acosta and his colleague Fareed Zakaria ripped apart Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s speech at a law school conference, where he roasted world leaders for criticizing the overturn of Roe v. Wade.
In a video released on Thursday, Alito took aim at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, and others for vocally opposing the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
Acosta asked Zakaria for his thoughts about the speech and the politicization of the Supreme Court, adding that “it was pretty strident stuff.”
After playing a clip in which Alito goes after Johnson and the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, Acosta noted that it seemed as though Alito was “just needling the critics.” He continued to bash Alito saying the speech made “light of what is a serious situation here in the U.S., and people are justifiably outraged by.”
Zakaria joined in on torching the Supreme Court Justice for damaging the reputation and “legitimacy” of the court:
It is much worse than that, Jim. I think it really damages the court’s legitimacy. One of the things that has kept the court’s legitimacy over time has been a sense of dignity, a sense of majesty, a sense that the justices are doing what they are doing for serious constitutional reasons. They don’t pay attention to the chitter chatter. They don’t pay attention to trivial news. That is why cameras are not allowed into the Supreme Court. Otherwise, Jim, why are nine unelected people, with life tenure, allowed to make these incredibly important decisions about 330 million people’s lives?
Nobody elected them. The reason why they have that legitimacy, to put it very simply, is that they behave themselves. That they behave in accordance with the kind of dignity and majesty of the court. What Alito did, behaving like a cheap commentator, and not a particularly good one at that, was frankly disgusting. I thought it was the most undignified performance by a Supreme Court Justice I have seen in my lifetime. I don’t think that any of his predecessors would have done it. I think it is scandalous.
I don’t think there is a disciplining procedure, but if John Roberts wants to fulfill his role of Chief Justice, I think he should call Justice Alito in and try to explain to him why this damages not just Alito, who looks like an idiot, but it damages the court. It makes it look less dignified, less thoughtful, less cerebral, and less respectful of the country that it is ultimately in this extraordinary position of power over.
Acosta concluded the segment agreeing with Zakaria. “I don’t think that the founders intended for Supreme Court Justices to take their Vegas act on the road,” he quipped.
This is not the first time Alito has been in hot water for a politically charged speech. During an address before the Federalist Society in 2020, Alito dug into hot-button partisan issues, receiving intense backlash in response.
Watch above via CNN
