President Bush’s pick for the Supreme Court, Samuel Alito, has so far pleased
the extreme right. The question will now be in the approval by the centrists.

This was a bold step for Bush. He would of had a better chance of getting
this confirmation through if he made it from the beginning instead of putting
the country through the Miers embarrassment.

It appears that this pick will face the hurdle of getting Democrats to
support him. This of course could lead to a filibuster and another show down
with Republicans and Democrats on the hill. Some part of me says this is what
Bush wants. It is no secret that the Republican party is highly divided right
now. Perhaps he feels that giving them a fight with Democrats will unit his
party. True Bush must remember that Parties don’t win election, the candidates
do. With Bush’s approval rating and perception of trustworthiness in the gutter,
why should American’s be hopeful on his latest pick.

Here is a brief description of Alito that the Associated Press has put out
today:

On top of it all, Miers’ nomination angered Bush’s conservative backers.
Most welcomed the Alito pick.

So consistently conservative, Alito has been dubbed “Scalito” or “Scalia-lite”
by some lawyers because his judicial philosophy invites comparisons to
conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. But while Scalia is
outspoken and is known to badger lawyers, Alito is polite, reserved and
even-tempered.

“The Supreme Court is an institution I have long held in reverence,” said
the bespectacled judge, a former prosecutor and government attorney who has
argued 12 cases before the Supreme Court. “During my 29 years as a public
servant, I’ve had an opportunity to view the Supreme Court from a variety of
perspectives.”

From the bench, Alito has staked out positions supporting restrictions on
abortion, such as parental and spousal notification.

View full article

here.

If he does in fact have a track record of opposing abortion, that will give
the Democrats one ally from the right. That being the chairman of the Judiciary
committee, Arlen Specter. Specter has been a vocal supporter of abortion rights.

This should lead to even more interesting news in the coming weeks as we
watch the history of this man unravel before our eyes. I think the most
important question should be “Why did Bush nominate Miers in the first place
instead of Alito?” That is one that will plague political followers for quite
some time.