The Obama Supreme Court nominee, in a speech no doubt vetted by the White House, delivered some subliminal messages to potential opponents. We ran his remarks through the Roll Call Political Translation Machine™ to reveal his intent.

“As my parents taught me, by both words and deeds, a life of public service is as much a gift to the person who serves as it is to those he is serving.”  

Presidential candidates don’t have a monopoly on the inspiring origin story.

“I also wish that we hadn’t taught my older daughter to be so adventurous that she would be out hiking in the mountains out of cell service range when the president called.”  

Just think how devastated she’ll be when you GOP senators refuse my candidacy for the Supreme Court.

“For a judge to be worthy of such trust, he or she must be faithful to the Constitution and to the statutes passed by the Congress. He or she must put aside his personal views or preferences, and follow the law — not make it.”  

That would be the Constitution that requires you to give me a hearing and a vote.

“My grandparents left the Pale of Settlement at the border of western Russia and Eastern Europe in the early 1900s, fleeing anti-Semitism, and hoping to make a better life for their children in America.”  

I have the immigrant experience you saw in other candidates.

“Trust that justice will be done in our courts without prejudice or partisanship is what, in a large part, distinguishes this country from others.”  

You’re acting like legislators in a Banana Republic right now.

“Years later, when I went to Oklahoma City to investigate the bombing of the Federal Building, I saw up close the devastation that can happen when someone abandons the justice system as a way of resolving grievances, and instead takes matters into his own hands.”  

That’s the real threat to our nation, not a slight rebalancing of the court’s politics.

“Fidelity to the Constitution and the law has been the cornerstone of my professional life, and it’s the hallmark of the kind of judge I have tried to be for the past 18 years.”  

Take that, Nino (may he rest in peace).

“Mr. President, it’s a great privilege to be nominated by a fellow Chicagoan.”  

Mess with us, and you’ll have to watch your backs any time you’re in the Windy City.

Roll Call Race Ratings Map: Ratings for Every House and Senate Race in 2016


Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call on your iPhone.