Judge pander

One of the things about sleeping in on the west coast is that you miss so much.

So it's Judge Alito. Conservatives, thrilled. Liberals, not so much.

And unless there's a pubic hair on a Coke can in his background (and even then, there's no guarantee, right Justice Thomas?), we're going to have to put up with him on the Supreme Court.

Until then, here's some background on the guy's rulings (strip search a 10-year old? Really?), here's more background, and the Carpetbagger reminds that the right's Miers talking points can and should be used against them.

Otherwise, I think Ezra sums up what I feel best here and here. While Democrats may not be able to stop Alito, they can paint him as out of touch with most of America. Republicans who support him should then get a healthy coat or two as well, putting Democrats on a stronger footing to take the country back in 2006 and beyond.

Rather than Bush make the right pay for destroying Harriet Miers (which I had hoped), he has chosen to reward and pander to them with Alito. And he needs there help. But there can be no mistake that Bush wants to unite the country anymore. This was his last chance to pull us altogether for a greater good, and instead we have been rended fully and left to fend for ourselves.

I think that is what saddens me more about Alito than anything else.

Oh, and the right has already started with the idea that criticizing Judge Alito means you are against his background and therefore, racist. Which means to the right, race should not matter when applying for a job unless it helps their side.

Let it be known that before I wrote any of this or felt the initial disgust of his nomination, I had no idea of his background. I'm glad to see the American dream seemed to work out for him. But his dream of America and mine are very different, and that is why I choose to oppose this pick.

*UPDATE* Pelosi:

Instead of seeking to unify the country with a nominee who would command wide consensus, the President again chose to submit to the dictates of the radical right. The President's nomination of Judge Alito reflects weakness - the President is unable or unwilling to withstand pressure by an extreme element in our country, rather than acting as a leader of all the people.

The Supreme Court must not be used as a tool by extremists to fulfill an ideological agenda and to undermine our individual rights. Under our Constitution, the Senate has an independent role in deciding whether to confirm a nominee to the Supreme Court. That responsibility is especially compelling with this nominee, whose rulings on the right to privacy, including a woman's right to choose; civil rights; and basic labor protections are troubling and far removed from the mainstream.