. >> reporter: yet he takes on roberts recent ruling that annoyed the westboro baptist church to continueitary funerals. you write that you would not given him a passing grade in the first amendment. >> i thought the case involving the intentional inflection of emotional harm on a veteran at a funeral service, i thought the court got it wrong on that. >> reporter: there was also the citizens united case which paved the way to unlimited campaign donations. >> danger that will distort the process. making the outcome of an election appear to depend on who can raise the most money, just doesn't seem to me the right way to be debating about who can best lead the country. >> reporter: you said that service on the court, paraphrasing here, but service on the court can have a civilizing effect on a justice. >> you have to learn to get along with and to discuss in a friendly way, very serious issues. >> reporter: force the civility? >> yes, yeah. >> reporter: and while stevens is too modest to say so, that's probably something congress can learn from the court. >> justice stevens' book is on sale