And one more thing, John Chaffee voted for Clarence Thomas. No, this is one of those times I would cut my nose off to spite my face. I can't stand that unctuous putz.
Well, RI is RI. Vote for the most troglodytic you can find with a reasonable shot at getting elected, would seem the road to take, absent just being the punishment mode. Chaffee might just be trying to get elected, giving a cloture vote for the primary, and a no vote on the up or down for the general election. By the way, if one is pro choice and wants to keep Roe, and the progeny of Roe, and isn't bothered with Robe deus ex machinas, voting no on Alito is a reasonable and principled position. A fair conclusion is that the care and feeding of the Roe matrix is not job one for Alito. That is why we both like him in part. :)