Leadership Conference on Civil Rights

Senator John McCain reached out to conservatives on Tuesday by vowing to appoint judges he characterized as strictly faithful to the Constitution and who did not engage in what Mr. McCain condemned as “the common and systemic abuse of our federal courts.”

The issue is of enormous importance to conservatives, who have rallied against what they call activist judges who they say decide cases based on their personal beliefs rather than the law. Mr. McCain has faced suspicions among conservatives about his intentions on the judicial front, and although he regularly says in his campaign appearances that he would appoint only judges who "strictly interpret" the Constitution, he has not given a lengthy speech on the subject until now.