U.S. Senate set to confirm Judge Alito to Supreme Court (front row seat - SOTU)

Yahoo News ^ | 1/31/06 | Thomas Ferraro

[Libloather]

U.S. Senate set to confirm Alito to Supreme Court
By Thomas Ferraro
1 hour, 22 minutes ago

Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito walks into the office of Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) on Capitol Hill, January 30, 2006. (Jason Reed/Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Conservative federal appeals court judge Samuel Alito appeared certain to win Senate confirmation on Tuesday as President George W. Bush's second successful nominee to the Supreme Court.

Following several days of debate, the Senate was to vote on Alito, who could move the high court to the right. Alito had a commitment from a required simple majority of senators to be approved.

But the vote was certain to be largely along party lines and closer than the 78-22 tally John Roberts, Bush's first high-court nominee, received in September in being approved as U.S. chief justice.

Alito, 55, would replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, a moderate conservative who often has been the nine-member court's swing vote on abortion, civil rights and other social issues.

Alito was expected to be sworn in before Bush, who promised to put conservatives on the federal bench, gives his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday night.

The Senate on Monday soundly defeated a Democratic bid to stop Alito with a procedural hurdle known as a filibuster.

On a vote of 72-25 -- 12 more than the 60 that were needed -- the Senate approved a motion to end debate and move to a confirmation vote.

"I am pleased that a strong, bipartisan majority in the Senate decisively rejected attempts to obstruct and filibuster," Bush said in a statement.

"Judge Alito is extraordinarily well-qualified ... and America is fortunate that this good and humble man is willing to serve," Bush said.

Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, who lost the 2004 White House election to Bush, helped lead the failed effort to mount a filibuster against Alito.

Kerry argued that Alito posed a threat to civil rights and abortion rights and would not be an effective check on presidential powers.

Bush nominated Alito after a rebellion within his conservative ranks led to the withdrawal of an earlier high-court candidate, White House counsel Harriet Miers. Critics voiced concern that she lacked the clout and commitment to make the court more conservative.

Conservatives rallied around Alito, who has served since 1990 as a member of the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

[Doogle]

[Maumee]

There once was a lush from ole Mass, Who's every wrong got a pass, His lies and his blather Didn't much matter Cause the Pubbies kicked his fat a$$.

[Christian4Bush]

Update: Alito confirmed, 58-42. Details on the other thread.

[Canadian Outrage]

I watched the vote this morning as I was getting ready for work. A bunch of the cowardly libs didn't even show up such as CLINTON!! They remind me of a PACK of mindless RATS. One just follows the other whether it makes sense or not.

[Libloather]

What time is the SOTU anyway and will it be on Fox?

Fox? YES! I'm gonna try C-Span a bit before 9pm - just to see what the loony leftist callers have to say. (They're acting as if this Alito thing is worse than any election loss they've suffered in the past 40 years. And it could be!) I'll be checking in on C-Span afterward just to hear the exploding heads on the 'Democrat' line - and to see a few shots of the pot banging protesters outside the Capitol building. I pay a ton for cable - may as well get the most for my entertainment dollar...

STATE OF THE UNION
LIVE Coverage — Tuesday, 8:55pm ET
President George W. Bush outlines the administration's priorities for his final three years in office. Watch the address live, and tune in for expert analysis from Brit Hume and "Team Washington."

http://www.foxnews.com/fnctv/index.html

[Howlin]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1569002/posts