Dear Senator Mike Braun of the great state of Indiana:
It has recently come to the attention of “Rob Kendall and the Show to be Named Later” that public speaking might not be your area of strength.
Case in Point: On Tuesday morning, during an interview Tuesday related to the confirmation hearings of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and the court’s ruling on Roe v. Wade, you stated that the U.S. Supreme Court was wrong to legalize interracial marriage in its Loving v. Virginia ruling in 1967.
We believe it was your intention to argue in your reply that by the Enumerated Powers Clause of the U.S. Constitution, marriage is not within the purview of the Federal government. We also believe you intended to state that marriage is not within the purview of the state government for that matter either.
Simply Put: It is our sincere opinion that you rightly intended to argue that the government should not be involved in the issue of marriage; individuals should be able to marry whoever they like.
Sadly, you failed to articulate your argument clearly and effectively, sir.
Instead, you rightly noted that Roe v. Wade was a form of judicial activism, and the issue should have been left up to states. You applied that same logic when asked about Loving v. Virginia, stating:
“When it comes to issues, you can’t have it both ways. When you want that diversity to shine within our federal system, there are going to be rules and proceedings, they’re going to be out of sync with maybe what other states would do. It’s the beauty of the system, and that’s where the differences among points of view in our 50 states ought to express themselves.”
Asked again about whether interracial marriage is an issue that should be left up to individual states, you replied:
“I think that that’s something that if you’re not wanting the Supreme Court to weigh in on issues like that, you’re not going to be able to have your cake and eat it too. I think that’s hypocritical.”
Poorly articulated? Definitely. Were you done? No, sir!
Instead of owning what you said and clarifying what you actually meant, you issued a statement in response to public criticism saying you had “misunderstood a line of questioning that ended up being about interracial marriage.”
You: “Let me be clear on that issue—there is no question the Constitution prohibits discrimination of any kind based on race, that is not something that is even up for debate, and I condemn racism in any form, at all levels, and by any states, entities, or individuals.”
There was undoubtedly a better way to handle this matter, sir, and Rob Kendall is here to help. This special presentation of helpful advice is presented below for your convenience, Senator Braun. There is no charge for this service.
