Alito for SCOTUS

AP: Bush Nominates Alito for Supreme Court---

WASHINGTON - President Bush nominated veteran judge Samuel Alito for the Supreme Court Monday, seeking to reshape the judiciary and mollify conservatives who derailed his previous pick. Ready-to-rumble Democrats said Alito may curb abortion rights and be "too radical for the American people."

Drawing an unspoken contrast to failed nominee Harriet Miers, Bush declared that the appeals court judge "has more prior judicial experience than any Supreme Court nominee in more than 70 years."

Abortion emerged as a potential fault line. Democrats pointed to Alito's rulings that sought to restrict a woman's right to abortion. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, a Republican who supports abortion rights, said that Alito's views on the hot-button issue "will be among one of the first items Judge Alito and I will discuss."

Alito's mother shed some light. "Of course, he's against abortion," 90-year-old Rose Alito said of her son, a Catholic.

Alito, 55, newly installed Chief Justice John Roberts, 50, and the more than 200 other federal judges Bush has pushed through the Senate could give the Republican president a legacy far beyond his two terms.

In a political twist, Republicans who helped sink Miers' nomination rallied to Alito's side. A leading Democrat who backed Miers led the attack against Alito.

Alito's mother is exactly right. If you are Catholic, you are supposed to be against abortion. If you are for abortion, then you aren't Catholic, truly.

I am very happy to hear Judge Alito is against abortion.

One thing: Arlen Specter has been going on and on about how a judge shouldn't discuss his opinions and answer questions on his views. Now, all of a sudden, he wants to discuss Alito's views with Alito?

I am hopeful that we have found a good nominee.