Harry Reid set the stage for the upcoming confirmation battle over Scalito today. Fortunately, unlike some of the more tepid members of his Democratic caucus, the Minority Leader has major problems with the nominee and is unabashed about them:
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid on Wednesday said he has "significant concerns" about Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, calling President Bush's latest choice one of the most conservative judges in the United States.Reid also let the Senate know that the GOPers and right wing changed the rules when they eviscerated Harriet:
"A picture of Sam Alito is emerging that may explain why the extreme right-wing is popping champagne corks," Reid, D-Nev., said in a Senate speech, referring to a 20-year-old document in which Alito asserted "the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion."
"Harriet Miers was forced to withdraw by conservative activists who want to change the legal landscape of America," Reid said. "They decided she was inadequately radical or insufficiently aggressive for their purposes, so they gave her the boot."Alito, through his own words and actions, has given the Senate plenty of reasons to question his nomination. And, it's a good thing to see Reid taking the lead on asking those questions.
The full text of Reid's statement can be found here.
