Skip To Content
JEWISH. INDEPENDENT. NONPROFIT.
The Schmooze

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Talks Trump, National Anthem Protests and Retirement

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has delivered a firm ruling on today’s hotly debated topics.

The 83-year-old, whose book “My Own Words” was released this month, sat down with Katie Couric last week to discuss everything from sports to her take on the election.

When asked about San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick decision not to stand for the national anthem this year, Ginsburg said it was “dumb and disrespectful.”

“I would have the same answer if you asked me about flag burning,” she said. “I think it’s a terrible thing to do.”

While Ginsburg admits that she hasn’t been keeping up with current events on television (“Before the debate, I had the police officers come to check the television to make sure that it was still working!” she said), the Supreme Court Justice did have some choice words about the election.

Ginsburg spoke out against Donald Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States—by harkening back to anti-Semitism she observed growing up. In her book, she recalled seeing a lawn sign reading “No Dogs or Jews allowed.”

“I looked at that sign, and I said, ‘I am a Jew, but I’m an American, and Americans are not supposed to say such things,’” she said. “America is known as a country that welcomes people to its shores. All kinds of people.”

Can the United States actually ban Muslims? Ginsburg remained tight-lipped on that one.

“I think the question you ask is a question that could come before this court. I can’t answer a hypothetical question when it may turn into a real question. I can’t preview my decision,” she said.

When it came to Hillary Clinton, Ginsburg only had complimentary things to say.

“For me, it’s very refreshing to see a woman with the knowledge that she has, with the poise and the — command of language.”

As the Supreme Court Justice enters into her new term, she isn’t really isn’t thinking about retirement too much.

“I can tell you this year, I’m fine, I’m OK. What will come next year, I don’t know,” she said.

She then went onto tell Couric that she can do 20 push-ups.

Girl push-ups? Couric asked.

“Oh no, no, no, the real ones,” Ginsburg responded.

Thea Glassman is an Associate Editor at the Forward. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at @theakglassman.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

Republish This Story

Please read before republishing

We’re happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines. You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search.  See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs.

To republish, copy the HTML by clicking on the yellow button to the right; it includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to the Forward. It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. Please email us at [email protected], subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up.

We don't support Internet Explorer

Please use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge to view this site.