Roberts led pampered life; seems not to have learned about real humans

From Body and Soul

What I heard from the very beginning in Roberts' language was the sound of an over-privileged boy, comfortable in his position, and unwilling to hear about others who haven't shared his privileges. It's not about his position on one issue. Instinct and experience told me that this would be a man who would mock the aspirations of the non-privileged, and object to any attempt to remedy the problems because to him the problems would always be just a matter of different perceptions.

This puts into words what I have been feeling about the guy. Has he ever failed at anything? Has he ever taken a wrong step in his privileged arc upwards and screwed something up? Or found himself barred from something he wanted and felt he deserved by someone else who judged him unworthy?

In studying business, I have seen a number of cases of CEOs who had similar charmed lives who came to the point where they had to make a crucial decision to save to company. Some of them have chosen to do something illegal because they cannot accept the idea that they might actually fail at something. As a Supreme Court Justice, Roberts is not likely to ever have to make such a critical decision, but he will be expected to judge those who have. I see no indication that he has the wisdom or humanity to make such a decision correctly, unlike Sandra Day O'Connor.

His history is not that of a person who has ever stepped outside his privileged cocoon. I will agree with William Raspberry:

Roberts's life has been amazingly like that of the man who wants to put him on the court -- but with better grades.

Roberts would not have invited Cindy Sheehan in and spoken to her, either. One naturally doesn't mingle with the lower classes.

Of course, he may learn on the bench. Stranger things have happened.