Culture snagged like sweater

Excerpt from the President's State of the Union address
February 1, 2006

In recent years, America has become a more hopeful nation. Violent crime rates have fallen to their lowest levels since the 1970s. ... Yet many Americans, especially parents, still have deep concerns about the direction of our culture, and the health of our most basic institutions. They're concerned about unethical conduct by public officials, and discouraged by activist courts that try to redefine marriage. They worry about children in our society who need direction and love, and about fellow citizens still displaced by natural disaster, and about suffering caused by treatable diseases.
As we look at these challenges, we must never give in to the belief that America is in decline, or that our culture is doomed to unravel. The American people know better than that. We have proven the pessimists wrong before -- and we will do it again.
A hopeful society depends on courts that deliver equal justice under the law. The Supreme Court now has two superb new members -- new members on its bench: Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Sam Alito. I thank the Senate for confirming both of them. I will continue to nominate men and women who understand that judges must be servants of the law, and not legislate from the bench.

It strikes me as odd that the president can slam "activist" judges in one breath and then introduce judges he handpicked for their conservative ideology in the other. How is it that he gets away with calling judges with which he disagrees that "dirty" word, but the judges out there to do his bidding are just "brilliant," white men? I miss Sandra already.