Judge Samuel Alito is an outstanding nomination to the SCOTUS by President George W. Bush. He exemplifies quality, competence and gravitas. He is precisely the type of nominee that conservatives were looking for just one month ago. But better late than never, and in the case of Alito I'm happy to have waited.

It is more than clear that the president had the full assistance and attention of Karl Rove while picking this nominee, which does not appear to have been the case one month ago. Harriet Miers also spent the weekend at Camp David, and she is to be congratulated for helping the president narrow his choices down to this nominee.

The reaction of Democrats, and their special interest groups, is not surprisingly hysterical, with Sen. Charles Schumer despicably arguing that Alito might roll back the advances made possible by Rosa Parks. Let them scream and let them be hysterical. Let the Democrats be who they really are for all reasonable Americans to see. I rather suspect that they are going to be making some very foolish statements in the days and weeks to come. The long and grim faces over at CNN tell it all. The ploy of the Democrats, and their willing allies in the media, to try and coax the president to "confer" with them prior to this nomination has failed, as it should have. Republicans did not request that President Clinton "confer" with them prior to his appointment of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and it is ludicrous and hypocritical for Democrats in the Senate to expect the same from George W. Bush.

Expect a concerted and down-in-the-gutter-effort coming from Democrats, their interest groups and their allies in Old Media in the next few weeks to throw anything that they can in an effort to defeat the Alito nomination. Expect threats of a filibuster, and "other" intimidation tactics. As I posted last night, let them threaten a filibuster if they must. If they attempt to mount one against Alito then it will be defeated.

Congratulations to the president for this wonderful choice. He will appropriately and justifiably have a united front of conservatives supporting the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the SCOTUS.

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Update: Hugh Hewitt notes that the best way to preempt a filibuster by the Democrats, before it even gathers any steam, is to contact those Republicans who are part of the Gang of 14, and urge them to announce "early and often" that they will support a Senate rule change to kill any filibuster of Alito's nomination. The contact information for those senators is as follows:

Senator McCain mccain.senate.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=Contact.Home
(202) 224-2235

Senator Warner warner.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm
(202) 224-2023

Senator DeWine dewine.senate.gov
(202) 224-2315

Senator Chafee chafee.senate.gov/webform.htm
(202) 224-2921

Senator Snowe http://snowe.senate.gov/Webform.htm
(202) 224-5344

Senator Collins collins.senate.gov/low/contactemail.htm
(202) 224-2523

Senator Hagel hagel.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Offices.Contact
(202) 224-4224

Senator Specter (202) 224-4254
specter.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInfo.Home

No need to contact Sen. Lindsey Graham, he will vote to defeat a filibuster should it occur.

***

Powerline notes:

"Alito is a solid choice. Chuck Schumer and Harry Reid have already come out against him; another good sign."

And Sen. Kennedy looked like he had taken an early nip in an appearance on CNN a few minutes ago.

Ed Whelan (H/T Polipundit) on Alito's qualifications:

"In selecting Third Circuit judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. for the Supreme Court, President Bush has made a truly outstanding nomination that deserves widespread acclaim. By any objective criteria, it is doubtful that there is anyone now or in recent decades (yes, not even Chief Justice Roberts) whose experience and qualifications better prepare him for the Supreme Court.

Judge Alito’s entire career since graduating from Yale Law School in the mid-1970s has been devoted to public service in the law. His range of experience dealing with difficult questions of federal law is unmatched. After a prestigious clerkship on the Third Circuit, he worked as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey for four years. Then, as assistant to the Solicitor General, he briefed and argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court for four years. He next served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel—the office that was previously headed by Rehnquist and Scalia and that advises the White House Counsel’s office and the entire executive branch on the proper meaning of the Constitution and other federal law. In 1987, Alito became United States Attorney in New Jersey. In that capacity, he was responsible for all federal prosecutions in New Jersey for three years (including the successful prosecution of a Libyan-sponsored terrorist who planned to attack various New York targets). And for the past 15 years, Alito has served with great distinction on the Third Circuit."

And Polipundit also has an analysis of the roll-call vote.

Kathryn Jean Lopez notes:

"I just got the White House talking points on Alito. Nowhere in them does it say that he is one of the best male lawyers in New Jersey."

Heh.