EDITORIAL EXEGESIS

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"There can be no chasing of hidden paper trails in Judge [samuel] Alito's case: He brings the most extensive record of any Supreme Court nominee in memory, with 300 written opinions and more than 3,500 cases judged in 15 years of service on the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia. Last week, he earned a unanimous 'well qualified' rating from the liberal-leaning American Bar Association, the highest mark a Supreme Court nominee can get. Not everyone sees it this way—or, at least, not everyone is willing to agree that the facts are freely available and the issues are fully ready to be aired. There were reports late last week that Democrats intend to delay Judge Alito's vote yet again... Constitutionalists should welcome this battle; it is one constitutionalists can win. They can win because the facts are on their side. If reason cannot prevail over partisanship, Senate Republicans must be ready to use the nuclear option to prevent success of a filibuster. Judge Alito is entitled to hearings and an up-or-down vote. He is an exceptional candidate whose qualifications will cast petty partisan points as a cheap excuse for a real debate." — The Washington Times

Of course Name calling from the left.

"Let's face it, [samuel Alito] is an ultra-conservative and his track record on the bench is that he...goes to the right on key issues." — ultra-liberal Matt Lauer

"If [samuel Alito] has a good, strong, solid performance where he comes across as a conservative judge with good temperament he's confirmed. If he comes across as a conservative, political zealot he's in trouble." — liberal zealot Tim Russert

Battle of the sexes:

"As Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote in her decision overturning these restrictions, 'Women do not lose their constitutionally protected liberty when they marry.' Judge Alito seems not to have grasped this fundamental fact of modern American life." — "constitutional scholar" Kate Michelman, Boston Globe