Alito hearings—more fizzle than sizzle
Can it be that the promised fireworks at this week's Supreme Court confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee have already fizzled? Grinding through the first round of questioning, even liberal Sens. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Joseph Biden of Delaware spoke at length but failed to hit their stride, much less ruffle Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, whose answers, delivered in an earnest monotone, had all the zip of are medial high school civics lesson.
With no bumps yet apparent on Alito's path through the committee, Chairman Arlen Specter is planning to call for a committee vote next Tuesday, though some Democrats say they may use their prerogative and delay the vote a week–a tactic seen as a way to continue working on rounding up enough votes in the Senate to filibuster the nomination.
But if Specter's schedule holds, top committee aides say, the Senate could vote on Alito's nomination as soon as January 20 and, if approved, the Third Circuit appeals court judge could replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the high court before the end of the month.
And that would make the Bush administration very happy.
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