Thrilled with Alito

Was President Bush reading my blog last week? I had laid out my criteria for a great nomination to the Supreme Court. I said I was looking for...

1. A conservative judicial philosophy demonstrated in writing over a period of at least 15 years. (CHECK)

2. A documented thorough knowledge of and respect for Constitutional law. (CHECK)

3. High moral character attested to by personal and professional references. (CHECK)

4. No older than 55 years of age. (CHECK)

5. Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the ACLU should hate him or her. (CHECK)

The nomination of Judge Alito further demonstrates the President's commitment to a strong judiciary functioning within the role of the judiciary. This is a great nomination.

For more information about Judge Alito, his record and his resume, visit Jay Sekulow's Trial Notebook.

And now for my favorite part... reactions from the lefties.

"The nomination of Judge Alito requires an especially long, hard look by the Senate because of what happened last week to Harriet Miers. Conservative activists forced Miers to withdraw from consideration for this same Supreme Court seat because she was not radical enough for them. Now the Senate needs to find out if the man replacing Miers is too radical for the American people." - Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

"Rather than selecting a nominee for the good of the nation and the court, President Bush has picked a nominee whom he hopes will stop the massive hemorrhaging of support on his right wing. This is a nomination based on weakness, not strength." - Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass.

"President Bush put the demands of his far-right political base above Americans' constitutional rights and legal protections by nominating federal appeals court Judge Samuel Alito to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor." - Ralph Neas, president of the liberal People For the American Way.

"It is sad that the president felt he had to pick a nominee likely to divide America instead of choosing a nominee in the mold of Sandra Day O'Connor, who would unify us. This controversial nominee, who would make the court less diverse and far more conservative, will get very careful scrutiny from the Senate and from the American people." - Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

"Now the gauntlet has been, I think, thrown down. It was humiliating, it was degrading and it's a profound and distributing view of Judge Alito that he would uphold spousal notification as he did in the Pennsylvania case, and it raises concerns about his views of women." - Kate Michelman, former president of NARAL-Pro Choice America.

"Justice O'Connor has provided more than a swing vote. She has been a moderating voice on critical civil liberties issues ranging from race to religion to reproductive freedom. Judge Alito’s position on each of these issues has been more hostile to civil liberties than positions taken by Justice O'Connor. His nomination therefore calls into question the court’s delicate balance that Justice O'Connor has helped to shape and preserve." - Steven R. Shapiro, National Legal Director, the ACLU

“I am deeply troubled by this nomination. In several decisions, Judge Alito seems to be arguing for a closer relationship between church and state.” - Barry Lynn, executive director, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State

"NOW is strongly opposed to the elevation of Judge Alito and will activate our members in communities nationwide to defeat his nomination to the High Court. Since Bush caved to the extremists' vicious campaign against Harriet Miers, women's rights supporters have been anticipating that he would bend to their will and appoint a judicial extremist of their choosing. He has done exactly that, and we are ready for the fight." - Kim Gandy, President, National Organization of Women

Linked at California Conservative and Basil's Blog