Posted on 11/02/2005 8:34:13 AM PST by areafiftyone
WASHINGTON - A centrist Democratic senator complimented Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito Wednesday as a moderate jurist who won't "hammer away and chisel away" existing law.
While Sen. Ben Nelson did not endorse President Bush's latest nominee for the high court, he did say he was impressed by what he heard from Alito during his introductory visit.
The Nebraska Democrat, who was Alito's first senatorial host Wednesday, told reporters that he got assurances that Alito would not be "judicial activist" or "take an agenda to the bench" if confirmed to succeed Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who is retiring.
"He assured me that he wants to go to the bench without a political agenda," said Nelson, one of the founding members of the centrist "Gang of 14" senators who earlier this year worked out a compact aimed at avoiding judicial filibusters except in the direst of circumstances.
Some liberals, pointing to Alito"s rulings as a federal appellate court judge on abortion, gun control, the death penalty and other issues have already raised the threat of a filibuster - an attempt to deny the 55-year-old lawyer a yes-or-no vote by the full Senate. Republicans hold 55 seats in the Senate, and while confirmation requires a simple majority, it takes 60 votes to break a filibuster.
Nelson, one of the 14 centrist senators that Democrats would need to sustain a filibuster, said that Alito "wants to decide each case as it comes before him."
Without the group's seven Republicans, Democrats would not be able to prevent Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., from abolishing judicial filibusters and confirming judges with a simple majority vote.
The Group of 14 is to meet Thursday to talk about Alito, who picked up an endorsement Wednesday from Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb.
"I look forward to enthusiastically supporting his nomination," said Hagel, one of several senators that Alito was scheduled to meet with during the day.
Democrats have been worried about how Alito would rule as the replacement for O'Connor, who has been a swing vote on such issues as abortion and affirmative action. He was nominated to replace White House counsel Harriet Miers, who withdrew last week after conservatives and anti-abortion groups refused to support her nomination and questioned whether she was qualified.
Republicans have said that Alito is more than qualified, pointing to his 15 years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit and his work as a government lawyer and prosecutor.
1)Mr Bush,unlike all deomocRATS since 1976,got more than 50% of the vote...
2)Mr Bush carried Nebraska by,shall we say,a very comfortable margin...
I'm ok with this Nelson - he's a "civil democrat" unlike the loonies that took over the coastal states!
ping
Why didn't you vote for Stenberg?
I give it two days, tops, before Joe Farah starts bellowing about how Alito is to the left of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and demands his withdrawal. Other conservative pundits will soon follow.
Message to democrats: Create laws yourselves and let the electorate sort it out.
The dems missed their chance to sink Alito.
Immediately after Bush announced, Neas, Boxer, Chuckie and Dickie Durbin should have come out enthusiastically in favor of Alito. The Conservative Base would have freaked out.
and if Nelson is reelected, the FIRST vote he casts in the Senate is for Harry Reid to be leader..
Nelson of Nebraska voted to invoke cloture (to get on with voting on the nominee) in 18 out of 19 cases in the 108th Congress. The only nomination he voted with the DEMs on, to reject cloture, was that of Saad.
I suspect the "filibuster threat kabuki dance" will go on for a few weeks. But in the end, I predict there will not be a failed cloture motion, and Alito will receive an up or down vote.
"he is a civil..." No he is a Democrat up for election.
I understood what you were saying..but I wish the GOP could take the seat..NE is a RED state, like Cornhusker jerseys..
Yeah but his buddy in Florida won't escape this one. The wooden Indian will go down like a sack of crap next year when he faces Harris.
Have I got it right? You vote for Democrats?
Well as you put it --it doesn't sound that good...but yes I voted for a democrat over a republican..(years ago..)..I wasn't as concerned about things like I am today..
But as far as Hagel I won't vote for him again (did the first time) even in a two person race...I'll probably not vote which is the same as voting for the democrat..at least when a democrat opens his mouth the press doesn't fall all over themselves to print it..
I do suspect hagel will have a fight on his hands for the primary and i intend to vote against him there.
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