We should not forget that then-Senator Obama voted against the confirmation of Chief Justice Roberts, and tried to mount a filibuster against Justice Alito. This history places Justice Ginsburg’s comments about then-Senator Obama and the “negative votes” these candidates should not have received, into context.

WSJ: It seems you have a great deal of personal affection for President Obama.

GINSBURG: I do.

WSJ: Why?

GINSBURG: He’s a very, very bright man. Engaging, caring. I don’t know that another president has faced quite the kind of opposition he has–it’s just no to anything he wants to do. But I’m very glad the logjam has finally broken on the confirmation of judges. We will have to get back to the way it once was. Think of my nomination, Breyer’s nomination. My number was 96 to 3. And it’s a plague on both their houses. The chief had negative votes he should not have had. So did Alito, and then Sotomayor and Kagan.