By Steve Jalsevac
October 31, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – President Bush’s swift, decisive nomination of Samuel A. Alito to the Supreme Court has stunned the liberal establishment and generated instant praise from almost all conservative leaders. Bush gave conservatives exactly what they asked for this time. The reaction dividing lines are sharp. The Democrats are far more critical than they were over Miers and anti-life, anti-family organizations are already getting ugly about this nomination.
However, such a bold nomination choice also carries with it the president’s unstated challenge to conservatives to prove their organizational ability and political power while supporting his nomination in the Senate and court of public opinion.
The excerpts below from some of the numerous articles on the Alito nomination reveal a complete contrast to the initial reaction to the failed Miers nomination. There are certainly going to be many intense developments to report as this nomination process continues.
Article Excerpts
FOR
All Agog About Alito – Family Advocates Applauding Bush’s Nominee to SCOTUS – Agape Press
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.
Gary Bauer of American Values agrees with the president’s choice. “This appointment is a grand slam home run,” Bauer says.
Pat Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition says the difference between this and Harriet Miers in terms of our response, I think, you’ll see will be overwhelming.”
Jesse Binnall of the Public Advocate says he is thrilled by today’s announcement because it ends the “stealth” strategy of nominating someone with very little history.
https://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/10/afa/312005a.asp
AFA CLP Applauds Nomination of Alito for the Supreme Court
Brian Fahling, American Family Association Center for Law & Policy senior trial attorney, commented, “Mr. Bush has nominated to the High Court a man of unquestioned commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law. I thought it would be difficult to find the intellectual equal of Justice Roberts, but Mr. Bush has found him in Judge Alito.”
https://www.afa.net/clp/ReleaseDetail.asp?id=107
Conservatives Applaud Alito as ‘Judge’s Judge’– Focus on The Family
Ralph Neas, head of the liberal activist group People for the American Way (PFAW), pledged to “wage a massive national effort to defeat Alito’s nomination” and to “work closely with its coalition partners to educate Americans about the threats posed by this nomination.” Over-the-top reactions like that clearly indicate the stage is being set for a show-down over the nomination, according to Focus on the Family Action Chairman Dr. James C. Dobson.
Perhaps the most encouraging early indication that Judge Alito will make a great justice is that liberal senators such as Harry Reid and Charles Schumer and leftist pressure groups . . . have been lining up all day to scream that the sky is falling,” Dobson said. “Any nominee who so worries the radical left is worthy of serious consideration.”
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., meanwhile, painted a picture of Alito as being “extreme.” Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., who would like for the Senate to take up Alito’s nomination before Christmas, has indicated he will not allow a filibuster to keep the nomination from the Senate floor. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council said Alito “is the consummate professional and shows a deep love for justice,”
https://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0038428.cfm
Heritage Foundation’s Ed Meese Praises Bush’s New Court Choice
“President Bush has made an outstanding choice in nominating Judge Samuel Alito for the Supreme Court. Judge Alito is a distinguished scholar, a gifted lawyer with broad and impressive experience, and is known in the bar as one of the greatest appellate judges in America today.
https://www.heritage.org/Press/NewsReleases/nr103105.cfm
Brownback on Alito: “Impressive”
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), who had emerged as one of the staunchest critics of Harriet Miers, is taking a more positive approach to Samuel Alito today, noting the judge’s “impressive legal credentials” and “broad legal experience.”
https://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2005/10/sen_sam_brownba.html
Catholic Knights of Columbus Leader Lauds Alito Selection
Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson – leader of the Knights of Columbus said Monday federal appeals court Judge Samuel Alito is “a truly excellent choice” for the United States Supreme Court.
https://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/10/31/134232.shtml
Kristol: Alito an ‘Awfully Impressive Pick’
Bill Kristol, executive editor of The Weekly Standard, told Fox & Friends Monday morning that Samuel Alito is an “awfully impressive pick” to join Chief Justice John Roberts
https://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/10/31/85219.shtml
Activists Hope to Mobilize 80,000 to Oppose Blocking of Alito Vote
Seeing the distinct possibility that the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court could be filibustered by Senate Democrats, Conservative activists are already mobilizing Americans who support the nominee to fight the procedural blocking of a vote on President Bush’s latest high-court pick. Many activists have encouraged the GOP leadership in the Senate to use what they call the “constitutional option” to basically change the rules in the Senate to nullify the filibuster.
https://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47143
Tony Snow: Liberals Will Call Alito ‘Fascist’
By selecting Alito, the president shows that he has learned that this is not a time to run from a fight. It’s time to challenge everyone and their principles.
https://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/10/31/93629.shtml
AGAINST
CBS’s Andrew Cohen: Alito to Please ‘Foaming at the Mouth’ Conservatives
https://newsbusters.org/node/2603
Dems Whacked For Bringing up ‘ethnically charged’ Alito Issue
“The first thing they nail about this Italian American is he failed to win a mob conviction in a trial … way back in ‘88.“In other words, they nail him on not putting some Italian mobsters in jail from the [Lucchese] family.
https://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47145
Democrats Reid and Schumer Not Happy
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid told CNN he was disappointed in the pick. 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.”
https://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/10/afa/312005a.asp
AP on Alito: He’s…Catholic!
The Associated Press, in its continued obsession with the religious affiliations of Supreme Court justices and nominees—as long as they are Catholic—released its first story of the day concerning the rumored pick of Samuel Alito for the high court: Alito Would Be Fifth Catholic on Court.
https://newsbusters.org/node/2588
Alito Not Only Tagged “Conservative” Incessantly, Also “Very”& “Quite Conservative”
On ABC’s Good Morning America, Jessica Yellin issued five labels in under 50 seconds, describing Alito as someone who will please Bush’s “conservative base,” has “established conservative credentials,” is “a law and order conservative,” who is “in the mold of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia” and whose “writing is so similar to the conservative justice’s, he’s sometimes nicknamed ‘Scalito.’”
https://newsbusters.org/node/2598
CNN Well-Prepared to Attack Any Conservative Supreme Court Nominee
Within seconds of President Bush finishing his announcement of Samuel Alito as the nominee to replace Sandra Day O’Connor on the Supreme Court, the CNN “American Morning” team was ready to attack and criticize this decision. First, Candy Crowley said, “I think what you’re going to see is some disappointment that this is obviously a white male replacing a female, leaving just one female on the Supreme Court.”
https://newsbusters.org/node/2594
John McCain: Wait and See on Alito
Gang of 14 leader, Sen. John McCain declined to offer unqualified support Monday morning for President Bush’s new Supreme Court pick, Sam Alito – saying he wanted to wait for confirmation hearings before fully endorsing the conservative judge.
https://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/10/31/90602.shtml
Abortion Advocates Worried by Alito Nomination
The pro-abortion group Planned Parenthood announced its disappointment over President Bush’s nomination of Judge Samuel Alito. The group has reason to be upset with Alito. Planned Parenthood interim president Karen Pearl said Alito “would undermine basic reproductive rights” and called him a “conservative hardliner.”
https://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=%5CCulture%5Carchive%5C200510%5CCUL20051031b.html
Alito Pick ‘Capitulation,’ Not ‘Leadership,’ Dean Says
The head of the Democratic Party Monday said by nominating “extreme conservative” Samuel Alito as Supreme Court justice, President Bush is capitulating to conservatives to make up for the “ethical problems his White House is facing.” Alito’s politically conservative views were not in dispute. “Of course he’s against abortion,” his 90-year-old mother Rose told reporters at her home in Hamilton, N.J.
https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051031/ap_on_go_su_co/bush_scotus_52
Opposition To Alito Swift From Gay Groups
“If confirmed Judge Alito is likely to be the decisive vote on many critical issues important to all Americans, including the most basic rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV-affected people,” said Lambda Legal’s Legal Director, Jon Davidson.
Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese called on LGBT Americans to voice their concerns about the nomination.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force said the nomination was a capitulation to extremists.
https://www.365gay.com/newscon05/10/103105courtRxn.htm
See also today’s LifeSiteNews.com story
Bush Nominates Alito for Supreme Court – Abortion Rulings on Record
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/oct/05103102.html