Everything I have seen and heard so far would seem to indicate that Judge Alito is a spectacular nominee for the Associate Justice vacanacy created by the retirement of Justice O'Connor. He is said to combine the brilliance of Scalia with the politeness of Roberts. I love this quotation, which echoes Chief Justice Roberts: "Most of the labels people use to talk about judges, and the way judges decide (cases) aren't too descriptive. ... Judges should be judges. They shouldn't be legislators, they shouldn't be administrators." George Stephanopoulous, of the Clinton White House and ABC News, has been on the radio airwaves stating ominously that this would make 5 Catholics on the Court. It's not really George's or anybody else's business, but Justice Thomas is said to be now observing the Episcopalian rite, not the Catholic faith. But this fact just points up the absurdity, indeed the offensiveness, of religious bean—counting. The Democrats and media will be making a big...(Read Full Post)