Alito, Pt. VII: Tar and Feathers

With the confirmation hearings beginning today (I couldn't sleep either), I'm providing some over-the-top material. What is a better source than the rhetoric employed by the left? It comes from one of our sponsors, JudgeAlito.com's Holy Tar and Feather!, and it drags on, so there are cuts from the original text. Read the bold words first for that extra hostile sensation or to just get an idea of the approach employed against Judge Alito (for background on the ABA, see Alito Pt. VI for Chuck Schumer's view & Alito Pt. V for organizational history). The first accusation is from Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), the darling of the Dems, and I've added my favorite attack (at the end) from that paragon of progressivism, Ted Kennedy (D-MA). Here we go:

Tar and Feather, Inc.:

A Liberal Plan for Judicial Character Assassination

• "What we currently know about Judge Alito raises serious questions about whether he will be steadfast in protecting our most fundamental rights." Sen. Hillary Clinton, 10/31/05. (I'll assume Mrs. Clinton does not find all of our rights to be fundamental since she's only concerned with the 'most fundamental.' i.e. Exclude the 2nd Amendment.)
• "If Alito Is Confirmed By The U.S. Senate, Many Of Our Fundamental Rights Will Be At Great Risk." NOW, 10/31/05
• "Make no mistake about it, we are in the battle of our lives to save women's rights." Feminist Majority, 12/14/05
• "Planned Parenthood is launching a nationwide emergency campaign to stop this ultraconservative nominee from being approved by the U.S. Senate." Planned Parenthood, 11/10/05
• "We believe that intellect and experience alone are not enough to earn a lifetime seat on the nation's highest court. And indeed, throughout our nation's history, Senators have appropriately considered the legal record and judicial philosophy of nominees to the Supreme Court, as do the presidents who nominate them. The ABA rating does not consider ideology or philosophy." PFAW, Press Release, 1/4/06
• "The ABA rating is quite expected," said Elliot Mincberg, legal director for People for the American Way. "I don't think anybody here is disputing how well qualified Judge Alito is." But "radical" Alito would undermine decades of progress in individual rights, says Nan Aron, president of the Alliance for Justice (Sean Higgins, 'Alito's Mind Sharp, But Views 'Radical,' Liberal Groups Say,' Investor's Business Daily, 1/4/06)
• NOW's Kim Gandy Demands a Guarantee: "Up to this point, Alito has offered tepid assurance to senators that he has respect for court precedents like Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that legalized abortion, but he has never offered a guarantee that as a justice he will uphold the precedent." (National Organization For Women, 'Documents Reveal Alito Is Wrong Choice For Supreme Court,' Press Release, 11/14/05)
• PFAW's Ralph Neas: "This new document isn't just a smoking gun. It's a smoking cannon. The American people should have no doubt that Samuel Alito is poised to change more than 25 years of reproductive rights for women in America." (People For The American Way, 'New Document: Alito Favored Overturning Roe Vs. Wade And State-Level Barriers To Reproductive Rights,' Press Release, 11/30/05)
• In October 2005, People For The American Way Released A "Preliminary" Report On The Record Of Sam Alito. The a "preliminary" report concluded that "the judicial philosophy of Samuel Alito is far to the right." (PFAW, 'The Record of Samuel Alito: A Preliminary Review,' 10/31/05)
• In January 2006, People For The American Way Released A "Special" Report On The Record Of Sam Alito. Not surprisingly, the "special" report concluded that "Judge Alito would swing the Court far to the right." (PFAW, 'Special Report: The Record And Legal Philosophy Of Samuel Alito,' 1/4/06)
• Sharon Stone Led Celebrities In An Anti-Alito Fundraiser For PFAW. "I think it's really important that the people who are going to make decisions for other people have fair, truthful and compassionate regard for all people, not just some people," Ms. Stone said when asked about Judge Alito. Did that mean she supported People for the American Way's work opposing his nomination? "That's why I'm here, sister," she replied. (Sheryl Gay Stolberg, 'Group Opposed To Nominee Rallies Its Hollywood People,' The New York Times, 12/7/05)
• People for the American Way releases report that identifies "the hard-right ideology" of Alito. (PFAW. Press Release. 1/4/06)
• Feminist Majority Foundation, the National Organization for Women and the National Congress of Black Women hold an event in which they voice opposition to Alito based on the threat to women's and civil rights. (Feminist Majority Foundation. Press Release. 1/4/06)

The coup de grâce comes from our friend, the least liberal United States Senator from his state, Mr. Ted Kennedy.

"In an era when the White House is abusing power, has authorized torture and is spying on American citizens, I find your support for an all-powerful executive branch and almost unlimited power for government agents to be deeply troubling."

The noble nature of realpolitik...

The following two articles were written during the Harriet Miers fiasco, but they are relevant. Dog's Breakfast for GOP - 10/11/2005 and The Dogs Have Eaten - 10/27/2005