• Samuel Alito rallies the Republican base while riling liberals; the fight “seems to be the political confirmation battle that both sides have been gearing up to fight for more than a decade.” Harry Reid: “Bush would leave the Supreme Court looking less like America and more like an old boys club.” Orrin Hatch: “This one is going to be Armageddon.” [WP, NYT, NYT, NYT, LAT, WT, WT, USAT, USAT]
• Alito will shift court to the right: “On some of the most contentious issues that came before the high court, Alito has been to the right of the centrist swing voter he would replace.” [WP, LAT, USAT, USAT]
• Alito‘s fate rests in the vote of moderate Republicans; filibuster remains available. [WP, LAT]
• Alito was an easy second choice for Bush; Karl Rove phoned key conservative leaders before the announcement. [WT, WT]
• Bush‘s selection of Alito works to unite his party after misstep of Miers. [WP, LAT]
• Abortion seen as the central issue. [NYT, NYT, LAT]
• Alito “has a strong free-market philosophy likely to please corporate America,” say experts. [LAT]
• At trial, Scooter Libby‘s interests will be divorced from the prerogatives of the White House. [WP]
• More than 30,000 people have paid tribute to Rosa Parks at the Capitol Rotunda. [WP, USAT]
• Scott McClellan takes fire from correspondents. Terry Moran: “There’s been a wound to your credibility here. A falsehood, wittingly or unwittingly, was told from this podium.” [WP]
• Alito‘s writings described as “methodical, dry and respectful of precedent.” [NYT, LAT]
• Alito‘s Princeton yearbook notes his Supreme Court ambitions. College roommate: “The notion that he’s an extreme conservative is wrong. Sam is conservative because he’s a straightforward believer in judicial restraint – that is, a judge’s personal views should not dictate the outcome of the case.” [WP, NYT, LAT, USAT]
• Alito would be fifth Roman Catholic on the court. [NYT]
• Alito‘s assets are estimated between $615k and $1.6m. [USAT]
• Cheney taps two longtime aides to assume Libby‘s former duties. [NYT, LAT]
• The real budgetary fight is rhetorical. [WP]
• Reid on Bush: “”I think he’s done a terrible job as president. I think he’s going to be known, perhaps, as being the Millard Fillmore of the last 100 years.” [WT]
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