Scalia Raises Eyebrows in Harvard Speech

The latest from the Political Grapevine:

Most Say Kerry Won First Debate

An overnight Gallup poll suggests most Americans think John Kerry (search) won Thursday night's debate.

What's more, the poll shows the vast majority of Americans think Kerry expressed himself more clearly during the debates.

However, when it comes to many other aspects of the debate, President Bush either ties or beats Kerry.

A majority say President Bush, not Kerry, demonstrated he is tough enough for the job.

And more Americans say President Bush was more believable, was more likable, and agreed with them on the issues they care about.

The two tied over who had a good understanding of the issues.

Moore's 'Living Is Libel and Slander'?

For the second time in as many months, a speech by Michael Moore (search) on a college campus has been canceled — this time at George Mason University (search) in Virginia, after two Republican state legislators complained "[It's] not appropriate for a first-class university" to host someone "whose living is libel and slander."

Last week school officials agreed to pay Moore $35,000 for a speech later this month, saying it "would be interesting and stimulating to students."

But officials have since decided it would be "an inappropriate use of state resources."

Moore, meanwhile, tells the Washington Post he plans to speak on George Mason's campus anyway, even if he has to do it for free.

Concerning Comments?

Comments from Conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (search) are raising more than a few eyebrows.

Speaking at Harvard about how his personal views have little to do with his legal pronouncements, he joked, "I take the position that sexual orgies eliminate social tensions and ought to be encouraged." According to the Harvard Crimson, he did not elaborate.

Some of his other observations... he says some matters are "too fundamental" and too "value-laden" to be resolved by judges, pointing to abortion as a specific example.

Scalia — who has supported the idea of overturning Roe versus Wade — told an audience, "Nothing I learned from law courses... none of the experiences I acquired in practicing law, qualifies me to decide whether there ought to be a fundamental right to abortion."

— FOX News' Michael Levine contributed to this report