January 24, 2006
Alito Passed by Committee - Next, a full Senate vote!
The Judiciary Committee voted 10 to 8 to pass the nomination of Samuel Alito to the full senate:
The Judiciary Committee recommended Tuesday Supreme Court nominee Judge Samuel Alito’s confirmation to the full Senate on a 10-8 vote.All committee Republicans voted for the nomination, saying Alito was “one of the most qualified†nominees ever. Democrats warned that he could swing the court to the right and all eight members voted against the conservative jurist’s nomination.
The Senate Democrats opposed President Bush’s pick to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor worried publicly that Alito might not be neutral if confirmed to the high court. [Source]."
That's funny, I don't remember any Democrats saying Ginsburg would "swing the court to the left." Wonder how they forgot to make that assertion? Guess they must have overlooked the concept at the time.
Senator Herb Kohl (D-Wisconson):
Judge Alito's record as a professional  both as a Justice Department official and as a judge  reflects something more than a neutral judicial philosophy," said Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis.Gee Herb, did you or any of your collegues ask the same about Ginsburg or anyone else?
The Senate Democrats really don't think the public has any smarts at all.
Posted by GM Roper at January 24, 2006 01:45 PM | TrackBackOne step closer...Thank God...
Can you imagine the outrage from the Dems if GWB were to get to seat ANOTHER Justice??
Heads WILL explode...
Posted by TexasFred at January 24, 2006 02:23 PM
The other day I heard some guy on the radio suggest that Bush will select a black women or hispanic man for the next nomination. I know that should make NO difference, but you know it is part of the equation. If he does, and there are plenty of federal and state judges out there that are more than qualified, stand back and watch the fireworks.
Posted by tad at January 24, 2006 04:14 PM
tad, Bush cannot nominate a black person because, by the definition of liberals, a black who is a Republican is not really a black at all. To them and the press, blacks can only be liberal Democrats. If Bush does nominate such a person, they better duck the Oriole cookies being heaved by the left.
Posted by Woody at January 24, 2006 04:18 PM
Woody, Of course your right..wait...all the good guys are Right....(oh, knock it off.)...OK, serious: The Dems will do as you say. They will keep it up and more and more women, hispanics, blacks, and all will see that craven politics and not the good of the country nor real care of its' populace is what the Dems are about. I would bet very many of them think they're "good", but the people will figure out that they're nicht gut.
Posted by tad at January 24, 2006 09:13 PM
Just wondering about the future. One hundred years from now, when people try to paint the picture of our times, young historians will note that Robert Byrd was a Klansman, and Democrats voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (including Al Gore's dad and Bill Clinton's mentor) and then later voted against Clarence Thomas and spewed hatred about Colin Powell, Condi Rice, and others. They will not perceive any split between those attitudes, and will see them as continuous action.
As they should. The Democrats approve of blacks as a constituent group, nice and tidy. They see themselves in sharp distinction to the bigots of the past, who they love to call conservative. I suspect the retrospective view will be the truer one.
Posted by Assistant Village Idiot at January 24, 2006 09:39 PM
When the next SC Justice liaves, I hope W nominates Janice Rogers Brown. The Democrats will reveal their true, repulsive, bigoted selves and the public will renounce those Democrats by removing them from office.
Posted by PCD at January 25, 2006 12:38 PM
It will be extremely interesting to see how many red state Dems end up voting for Alito. I know in Louisiana polls show that the public overwhelmingly supports the confirmation of Alito. Hopefully, Landrieu will come through and vote to confirm him.
Posted by Louise at January 25, 2006 03:51 PM
I heard a recent poll says a vast majority of Americans condemn the Senate's Dog & Pony show at the confirmation. After Alito is confirmed (which he will be because he highly qualified, fair, and doesn't legislate from the bench) the political fallout in 2006 for obstructionists will be substantial.
Posted by burky at January 25, 2006 04:54 PM
Louise and burky -- yes! We want the Senate Democrats to keep talking! Give them their own mikes. Turn the cameras on them 24-7.
Posted by Assistant Village Idiot at January 25, 2006 07:59 PM
They do make themselves look worse when they keep talking! Bottom line is Americans know Alito is qualified, fair and independent. For anyone to get up there and grandstand protesting anything different is just not smart politics!
Posted by Louise at January 25, 2006 10:10 PM
You are completely right - from Leahy and Gang of 14'er Salazar using the Senate Judiciary Cmte's delay week to so gallantly let us all know of their plans to break on Alito from their previous Roberts support votes...
to reports late last Friday that a Kennedy legal aide might be behind a last ditch attack effort to derail Alito's confirmation using an irrelevant 2004 legal filing...
to Wyden also coming out well in advance of a floor vote to announce his own public opposition (he too supported Roberts last fall) to Alito, whom he termed 'dangerous' and 'narrow' and possessing of a belief in a 'power of the president that would undermine our proven and constitutionally mandated system of checks and balances"...
I'm sorry, but what? Truly, all of these Dems do just keep coming out of the woodwork (many of whom were among Roberts' 78 floor votes in the fall) to dig themselves deeper and deeper into this pointless hole.
Once again, Americans will overwhelmingly support the US Senate when it sends another incredibly talented, qualified, intelligent, fair and impartial new judge to the Supreme Court at the end of the week.
Posted by RightOn at January 25, 2006 10:36 PM
