, ▁which ▁exp ired ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁During ▁most ▁of ▁Ob ama ' s ▁presiden cy , ▁there ▁had ▁been ▁spec ulation ▁about ▁the ▁potential ▁ret irement ▁of ▁Justice ▁Ruth ▁B ader ▁G ins burg , ▁who ▁turned ▁ 8 0 ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁and ▁was ▁previously ▁diagn osed ▁with ▁colon ▁cancer ▁and ▁pan cre atic ▁cancer . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁ ▁Ob ama ▁opposition ▁to ▁Bush ▁nom ine es ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 0 9 th ▁Congress , ▁then - S en ator ▁Ob ama ▁voted ▁against ▁both ▁of ▁President ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush ' s ▁nom ine es ▁to ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court . ▁In ▁a ▁speech ▁announ cing ▁his ▁opposition ▁to ▁John ▁Roberts , ▁Ob ama ▁stated : ▁ ▁In ▁explaining ▁his ▁opposition ▁to ▁Samuel ▁Al ito , ▁Ob ama ▁further ▁evaluated ▁the ▁qual ities ▁he ▁found ▁important ▁in ▁a ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁justice : ▁ ▁Ob ama ▁comments ▁during ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁president ial ▁campaign ▁In ▁a ▁speech ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁before ▁the ▁Pl anned ▁Parent hood ▁Action ▁Fund , ▁he ▁elabor ated ▁even ▁more : ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Ob ama ▁was ▁asked ▁about ▁the ▁kind ▁of ▁just ices ▁he ▁would ▁appoint ▁to ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court . ▁He ▁respond ed : ▁ ▁Later ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁while ▁on ▁the ▁campaign ▁trail ▁in ▁Ohio , ▁Ob ama ▁again ▁addressed ▁the ▁tra