Bush picks Alito for Supreme Court

Published 12:00 am Monday, October 31, 2005

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush, stung by the rejection of his first choice, nominated veteran judge Samuel Alito on Monday in a bid to reshape the Supreme Court and mollify his conservative allies. Ready-to-rumble Democrats warned that Alito may be an extremist who would curb abortion rights.

‘‘Judge Alito has served with distinction on that court for 15 years, and now has more prior judicial experience than any Supreme Court nominee in more than 70 years,'' Bush said, drawing an unspoken contrast to his first choice, Harriet Miers.

Unlike her nomination, which was derailed Thursday by Bush's conservative allies, Alito faces vocal opposition from Democrats.

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‘‘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.

Alito's nomination is one step in Bush's political recovery plan as he tries to regain his footing after a cascade of troubles rocked his presidency. His approval rating in the polls has tumbled to the lowest point of his presidency and Americans are unhappy about high energy prices, the costly war in Iraq and economic doubts. Bush also has been hit by a criminal investigation that reached into the office of Vice President Dick Cheney and led to the indictment of I. Lewis Libby, the vice president's chief of staff, on perjury and other charges in the CIA leak investigation.

On top of it all, Miers' nomination angered Bush's conservative backers. Most welcomed the Alito pick.

So consistently conservative, Alito has been dubbed ‘‘Scalito'' or ‘‘Scalia-lite'' by some lawyers because his judicial philosophy invites comparisons to conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. But while Scalia is outspoken and is known to badger lawyers, Alito is polite, reserved and even-tempered.

‘‘The Supreme Court is an institution I have long held in reverence,'' said the bespectacled judge, a former prosecutor and government attorney who has argued 12 cases before the Supreme Court. ‘‘During my 29 years as a public servant, I've had an opportunity to view the Supreme Court from a variety of perspectives.''

From the bench, Alito has staked out positions supporting restrictions on abortion, such as parental and spousal notification. If confirmed by the Senate, Alito would replace retiring justice Sandra Day O'Connor, a decisive swing vote in a host of affirmative action, abortion, campaign finance, discrimination and death penalty cases.

Alito favors more restrictions on abortion rights than either the Supreme Court has allowed or O'Connor has supported, based on a 1992 case in which he supported spousal notification.

Bush said he wanted Alito confirmed by year's end.

Wasting no time, the White House arranged for Alito to go to the Capitol after the announcement.