I don't know if others have made this point to date, but here goes. Italians are a very unusual ethnic group in the U.S. in that for over a century now they have voted more or less 50/50 Dem/Rep. I suppose, but cannot document, that large Italian donors to political parties likely split the same way.
My point is that Teddy and the Dems are managing quite nicely to lose their 50% by the way in which they are approaching Alito. They are messing with the wrong judge and, certainly, with the wrong ethnic group. I would be willing to bet that hundreds and thousands of Italian donors to the Dems have called their respective committee leaders to tell them to shove it come next election. I would also bet that hundreds of thousands of Italians are permanently switching political parties as we speak and listen.
That's changing. Bush won the Catholic vote and I see more Italians/Catholics coming over to the GOP. Be afraid Dems...be very afraid.