[Cboldt]

... if she throws i the towel ..ghoes easy on the questions..like Biden..then it means the Dems have decided NOT to even try to mount a filabuster.

I think even if she runs hard at him, the DEMs are resigned to the up or down vote. I don't blame them for holding fire on the filibuster rhetoric until the hearings are somewhat underway. After all, they reason, the nominee may very well step on his crank.

[Cboldt]

Wow - the first time Alito has said he can't answer a question, because that question is likely to come before the court.

The question is whether or not Alito thinks Lopez was correctly decided. Alito goes on though, to note that he sees the case as one of federalism, state's rights. Feinstein revisits Rybar case and will no doubt get to Alito's dissent.