"We need somebody who's got the heart, the empathy, to recognize what it's like to be a young teenage mom, the empathy to understand what it's like to be poor or African-American or gay or disabled or old - and that's the criterion by which I'll be selecting my judges"

This quote by Barack Obama speaks to the value of empathy in the selection of judges. He highlights the need for someone who can understand the battles of different groups of people, such as young teenage moms, the bad, African-Americans, the LGBTQ+ neighborhood, the disabled, and the elderly. He wants to make sure that the judges he picks have the capacity to understand the unique obstacles faced by these groups and to be able to make choices that are reasonable and simply. This quote highlights the significance of empathy in the judicial system and the need for judges to be able to connect to individuals they are ruling on. It is a reminder that the judicial system ought to be fair and simply for all, no matter their background.