All Agog About Alito
by Bill Fancher and Jody Brown
November 1, 2005
(AgapePress) - President Bush's nomination of Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court is getting rave reviews from the pro-family community. Basically saying the president "got it right this time," they are applauding Alito's nomination -- despite the fact it may take a major battle in the Senate to get the experienced federal judge approved for the high court. Alito, 55, is a graduate of the Yale Law School and, since 1990, has served on the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, a position he was nominated to by President Bush's father, George H.W. Bush. It is that lengthy experience -- not to mention his voting record -- that has conservatives and pro-family advocates excited about the possibility of his ascension to the Supreme Court.
Pat Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition says Alito is well-known among conservatives. So much so, he says, that "in conservative circles, he's referred to as 'Scalito' -- because of his close judicial philosophy to Justice [Antonin] Scalia."
Gary Bauer of American Values agrees with the president's choice. "This appointment is a grand slam home run," Bauer says. "The president has really gotten back to the basics here by nominating a mainstream conservative. Obviously there will be a fight, but it's a fight worth having with people like Ted Kennedy and the other far-left senators."
Bauer expects pro-family and Christian activists to rally behind the president. Mahoney concurs, saying he expects conservative Christians to be pleased with the nomination of Alito. "I think the president is now fulfilling a campaign promise," he says. And because of that, the activist expects conservatives will support the president to push this nomination through the process.
"We are ready to debate judicial activism, the philosophy of the court, the fact that judges should not legislate but interpret law," Mahoney states. "And the difference between this and Harriet Miers in terms of our response, I think, you'll see will be overwhelming."
Bauer says many of those supporters were disappointed in what he describes as "the ill-fated nomination" of White House counsel Harriet Miers, who withdrew her name on Thursday. But as for the Aliot nomination? "This nomination, I think, will be applauded by faith-based Americans all over the country," predicts Bauer, "and that's a good thing for the president."
One of the groups which led the fight against Miers' nomination was one of the first to praise Alito's nomination. Jesse Binnall of the Public Advocate says he is thrilled by today announcement because it ends the "stealth" strategy of nominating someone with very little history.
"[Judge Alito] is exactly what we've always wanted in the nominee: someone who we know without any doubt is going to faithfully interpret the Constitution," he says. "This is a great day for democracy in America."
Binnall adds that he expects Alito will be a leader in quashing judicial activism.
Like Binnall, the Washington, DC-based policy group Concerned Women for America says Alito has all of the qualifications needed -- "intellect, knowledge and experience in constitutional law, integrity, competence, humility, and judicial temperament," says CWA's Jan LaRue -- not to mention a consistent record as a conservative constitutionalist while on the Third Circuit.
"Judge Alito has always been one of our top choices for the Supreme Court," LaRue adds.
Evidently he was highly thought of by both sides of the aisle when confirmed to the Third Circuit 15 years ago. The Senate confirmed him by unanimous consent on April 27, 1990. LaRue says that should bode well for Alito.
"Since about half of the current members of the Democratic caucus confirmed Alito in 1990, he should sail through to confirmation by an overwhelming majority," she offers. But based on early comments from Democratic leaders in the Senate, that is not likely.
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid told CNN he was disappointed in the pick. "That is not one of the names that I've suggested to the president," the senator from Nevada said. "In fact, I've done the opposite. I think it would create a lot of problems."
And Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York -- a member of the Judiciary Committee, which has to approve judicial nominations before a full Senate vote -- calls Alito's nomination "sad" and something that is "likely to divide America."
But another Committee member, Republican John Cornyn of Texas, reminds his fellow senators that it is the responsibility of the Senate to consider the nomination "in a thorough and timely fashion." And "all nominees deserve a fair process and an up-or-down vote," he tells Cybercast News Service. "No nominee should be used as a political pawn."
