Say Anything Blog

I had a feeling that this is who it was going to be.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush, stung by the rejection of his first choice, nominated conservative judge Samuel Alito on Monday to replace moderate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in a bid to reshape the Supreme Court and mollify his political base.

"Judge Alito is one of the most accomplished and respected judges in America," the president said in announcing Alito's selection. "He's got a mastery of the law and a deep commitment to justice." Bush exhorted the Senate to confirm his choice by the end of the year.

The choice was likely to spark a political brawl. Unlike the nomination of Harriet Miers, which was derailed Thursday by Bush's conservative allies, Alito faces opposition from Democrats.

"The Senate needs to find out if the man replacing Miers is too radical for the American people," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada.

U.S. News and World Report has a profile of Alito up here

Excerpt:

Nicknamed "Scalito" for views resembling those of conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito Jr. is a favorite son of the political right. Appointed in 1990 by George H.W. Bush to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, Alito has earned a reputation for intellectual rigor and polite but frequent dissent in a court that has been historically liberal. His mettle, as well as a personable demeanor and ties to former Republican administrations, has long had observers buzzing about his potential rise to the high court. "Sam Alito is in my mind the strongest candidate on the list," says Pepperdine law Prof. Douglas Kmiec. "I know them all . . . but I think Sam is a standout because he's a judge's judge. He approaches cases with impartiality and open-mindedness."

Summary of important decisions written by Alito here.

From what I see so far I'm satisfied with this pick. It seems to me like this is who President Bush should have nominated in the first place. He's not Janice Rogers Brown, of course, but he'll do.