Alito Nomination Sparks Intense Debate Over Supreme Court Direction

The nomination of Federal Judge Samuel Alito to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the US Supreme Court has drawn fire from Democrats and liberal groups, with conservatives hailing it as a rare opportunity to move the Court in a decidedly more conservative direction. Alito's 15-year record as a federal appeals court judge has made him a conservative icon, with his nomination already ginning up the money machines of the right and left for the long-awaited ideological battle royal over the Court's future.

Key Takeaways:

• Judge Alito's nomination is seen as a conservative icon, with a 15-year record as a federal appeals court judge that has made him a target for both liberal and conservative groups.
• Liberals are promising to launch a battle to prevent Alito's confirmation, with Senator Harry Reid questioning whether Alito is "too radical for the American people" and Senator Edward Kennedy suggesting he could "push the court dangerously to the right."
• Alito's record on employment discrimination cases has been criticized, with Susan Ness, president of the Partnership for Women & Families, pointing out that he was the lone dissenter in a case where his position would have eviscerated the anti-discrimination law.
• Republican senators such as Orrin Hatch have enthusiastically endorsed the nomination, calling Alito "a man with every qualification in the world" who would be "an absolute catastrophic shame" if not confirmed.
• The president wants Alito confirmed by Christmas, but all indications suggest that this is highly unlikely, with Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter stating that the nomination will be "done right" but not necessarily "done fast."

Statistics:

• 15 years: Judge Alito's record as a federal appeals court judge.
• 13 judges: Number of judges in the case where Alito's position would have eviscerated the anti-discrimination law cited by Susan Ness.
• 2: Number of federal laws that would have been invalidated by Alito's decisions, including a law limiting the sale of machine guns and a law mandating unpaid medical leave for state employees and private sector employees.
• 1: The president's target for confirming Alito by Christmas.

Sources:

• NPR News, Nina Totenberg
• People For the American Way, Ralph Neas
• American Values, Gary Bauer
• Partnership for Women & Families, Susan Ness (referred to as Debra Ness with [POST-BROADCAST CORRECTION:]*, Debra Ness)
• MORNING EDITION from NPR News