Bush Says Americans Will Be 'Impressed' by Alito; Nation Looks to Fair Hearings

U.S. President George Bush said on Monday that he had spoken with Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito and commended the manner in which he conducted himself in the weeks leading to his confirmation series.

The comments come as the 18-member Senate Judiciary Committee begins its hearings today to determine if Alito should get a chance to receive a vote in the full senate. Among the main issues the senators will consider are Alito’s views on abortion.

“Sam Alito is eminently qualified to be a member of the bench,” said President Bush to reporters. He noted that the American Bar Association gave Alito a “well-qualified” endorsement – it’s top mark.

“I know the American people will be impressed, just like I have been impressed and a lot of other members of the Senate have been impressed,” the president added.

The hearings come a few months after current Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts was confirmed with bipartisan support, replacing the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist.

If confirmed, Alito will be replacing the retiring Sandra Day O’Connor, who was a critical swing vote on several hot-topic issues including abortion and church-state separation while on the Supreme Court bench. To the dismay of some conservatives, she often ruled in support of abortion.

As the confirmation hearings begin, a new poll finds that 53 percent of Americans say Alito should be confirmed, 27 percent he should not be and 20 percent are undecided, according to the Washington Post and ABC news.

Meanwhile, the Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, the president of the Catholic pro-life group Human Life International, warned Senate Democrats to not hold Judge Alito's Catholic faith against him.

"The hostility of some Senate Democrats to Roman Catholic judicial nominees in general and Judge Samuel Alito specifically is shocking," said Euteneuer.

"Senators who would use Judge Alito's Catholic faith as a weapon against him are advised to read the United States Constitution," he added, citing Article VI, which guarantees that “No religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any office or public Trust under the United States.”

Before Monday’s hearing, Bush said, "My hope of course is that the Senate bring dignity to the process and give this man a fair hearing and an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor."

"Sam, good luck to you," he added.

Ten-minute opening statements by the Judiciary Committee's 18 members are likely to consume much of the opening session, with direct questioning of Alito getting fully under way Tuesday, reported The Associated Press. The hearings are expected to last at least two days.

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), the head of the Senate committee, said he would wrap up the hearings this week. According to AP, he has called for a committee vote by Jan. 17.

Republican leaders hope for confirmation by the full Senate on Jan. 20. However, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who today will lead his party's questioning of Alito, would not promise the schedule would hold.