Posted on 10/31/2005 7:28:28 PM PST by Graybeard58
Sen. Ken Salazar today expressed "grave disappointment" that President Bush overlooked women candidates in making his latest pick to the U.S. Supreme Court, but he said he will give Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. a closer look before deciding how to vote.
"At the beginning of the twenty-first century, we see huge forward strides made by women in our society, including their representation in law school and in legal and judicial careers," Salazar said in a prepared statement. "For me, it is a grave disappointment, that out of the thousands of qualified women in the United States, the president has not chosen one among them to replace Sandra Day O'Connor."
"I will carefully study Judge Samuel Alito's record and background and look forward to reviewing the findings of the upcoming Judiciary Committee hearings," Salazar said.
Salazar, a first-term Denver Democrat, is about to face a defining moment over the nomination of Alito, an experienced lawyer and jurist with a conservative record that makes liberals wary.
Unlike White House counsel Harriet Miers, who recently withdrew her nomination, Alito has a long record of written judicial opinions, including his lone dissenting vote in a case that would have upheld Pennsylvania's requirement that women notify their spouses before obtaining an abortion.
Abortion rights groups already have denounced the Alito nomination, which could bring a showdown in the Senate if Republicans remain united in support and Democrats use filibuster tactics to derail the pick.
That means all eyes soon will turn to Salazar and six other Democratic senators who signed an agreement with seven Republican counterparts earlier this year, pledging to block a filibuster except in "extraordinary circumstances."
Alito is being nominated to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, seen as a pivotal swing vote on issues including abortion. Emotions over the nomination run so high on both the right and the left that swing-voters like Salazar are expected to face intense pressure in coming weeks.
Conservative groups were quick to praise the Alito pick.
James Dobson, founder of Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family, released a statement saying he was "extremely pleased."
"As a federal judge for the last 15 years, Judge Alito has demonstrated that he understands the role of the judiciary is to interpret existing law in light of the Constitution, not make new law in service to a personal political agenda," Dobson said in the release.
"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 such as People for the American Way and Planned Parenthood 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."
This is great. He did not say a single unkind word about Judge Alito.
Hasn't Ken Salazar volunteered to give up his seat in the Senate so that a woman can be appointed to replace him.....What? You mean he hasn't? Doesn't he think there should be more women in the Senate? I am gravely disappointed in him...
I didn't realize that you were a sexist. However, in the spirit of unity, I'll make a deal with you. You get Justice Stevens to retire, and I'll nominate a woman. I'm so looking forward to your support when I nominate Edith Jones next.
Sincerely,
Dubya
Well, Ken sweetie, you get yourself a sex change and register as a Republican, and Dubya will see what he can do for you, 'kay?
What a flaming idiot!
Coloradoans who voted for Salazar are "gravely disappointed" he lied through his teeth to get elected last year.
Sen Salazar should resign and let Gov Owens appoint a conservative Republican woman to succeed him.
Will someone please tell me why voters would have believed Salazar before the election? He is a RAT -- what else do we need to know? Carson here in OK tried the same crap -- he even had a poll published in the Tulsa World that turned out to be a phoney but Oklahoma voters sent him packing and elected Dr. Tom Coburn to the Senate.
Since Salazar wants women in office, then he should resign right now for a woman replacement. :)
The Dem'crats had a HUGE opportunity to take up George W. Bush on his commitment to "change the tone" in Washington, and they blew it. If they had accepted Harriet Miers wholeheartedly, without reservation, they could have carried enough RINO votes to have gotten Harriet Miers confirmed, and they would not be having these conversations and doubts. As it is, the Dem'crats have NO new objections that make any rational sense, and all their old tired ones have become meaningless, as nobody can see how they relate to the person to whom they are applied.
Overlooked women? Was his first choice not a woman?
From Owens? The RINO? Yeah right.
Sen. Ken Salazar today expressed "grave disappointment"
And latest reports say that Tom Daschle is "deeply saddened".
Gender should not be a criteria for the selection of any justice, let alone any other bench position in the judiciary. The criteria are SUITABILITY AND QUALIFICATIONS and a dedication to doing the job, AND ONLY THE JOB, prescribed by law --- not turning the SCOTUS into a activist kangaroo court for political purposes.
And the libs just cannot stand it.
Same thinking that has given us quotas. Disgusting eggheads, Salazaar and all who will spout this garbage.
Hey Ken, you Democrats made it quite clear that you wouldn't confirm Judge Janice Rogers Brown.
I love it when you talk dirty.
I'll be he would not have been any happier if Bush had appointed Brown, or Owen, or any of several other female jurists.
It's becuase you OK voters have more sense than we CO voters.
Plus we have a raging pathology termed, "Californian Immigrants," who bring their demented voting preferences to our state.
The disease is so contagious that even our Republican governor and a former Repulican senator from our state are showing symptoms.
They have alredy begun sniveling owing to severe rhinitis---I mean rino-itis in response to a CO constitutional amendment capping government revenue which they wish to overturn.
Governor Owens and Senator Brown are disgraces to the Conservative cause. Guess we should have learned a lesson when we found out Governor Owens' own wife couldn't trust him.
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