A grand slam nomination

For the Red Sox, the White Sox and now Princeton's heavy-hitters in the law, the curse has finally been broken. If the Senate confirms Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. '72 to the U.S. Supreme Court as expected, it will end a 35-year drought of Princetonians on the nation's highest court. As an alumnus, an American and his former clerk, I rejoice in the appointment of this mighty quiet Tiger from Trenton. Let me tell you why you can too.

The hearings will focus on Judge Alito's opinions (and demonstrate his brilliance), so allow me instead to share several personal insights into the Judge that give fair-minded Princetonians reason to welcome his nomination.

The rise of Judge Alito affirms what is best about America. For his entire adult life, he has served the American public with determined focus — as an Army captain, a government advocate before the Supreme Court, a U.S. Attorney and a federal judge. The great promise of America lies in liberty, opportunity and merit rewarded. They have enabled a Jersey boy to absorb the virtues of his immigrant heritage — hard work, humility, faith, patriotism and love of family — and apply them to serve the country and people he loves.

To clerk for the Judge is to become his friend. My wife Hannah (also '95) and I were blessed with both opportunities in 2001-2002. He was and is a gentleman in the literal sense, with a humble and respectful temperament. I saw him treat with equal dignity distinguished jurists, graying security guards, the UPS man and Al our custodian. When we first began as clerks, we tried to open doors, hold elevators and carry bags to help the Judge, but to no avail. He politely insisted that we go first, as he held the door and carried his own bags.

The Judge has an incisive, analytical mind that quickly finds an argument's weakness. But I never saw him use that power to embarrass or belittle anyone. The first time I watched the Judge preside at an oral argument, a woman representing the appellant struggled awkwardly. She committed a procedural faux pas and was on the verge of keen embarrassment. As others began to snicker, the Judge interposed a deft question that headed off her humiliation.

For someone who takes his responsibilities so seriously, Judge Alito has an open and unpretentious sense of humor. When the neighboring judge down the hall put a pair of regal faux-stone lions at the entry to that chambers, a pair of plastic lawn flamingoes soon appeared at the entry to the Alito chambers.

I have yet to detect in the Judge any interest in fame, wealth or self-promotion. Instead, he is grounded in gratitude. My latest example occurred Friday, the day he returned home from Washington, DC. After a heady and exhausting week receiving the nomination and meeting a score of the free world's most powerful people, the Judge called to thank us for flowers we had sent.

You may know that the Judge's ties to Princeton run through Woody Woo, Professor Murphy, Army ROTC and Stevenson Hall. You may see him marching in the P-Rade with his '72 classmates in their orange-and-cream pinstripes and fedoras. But did you know that the Judge's ties to the University run back to the very beginning? From his courthouse in Newark, a short walk down Broad Street brings you to a simple white-steepled Presbyterian church. Here our alma mater was born in 1746, before a land grant moved the institution to Princeton. Both Judge Alito and the University have been in the nation's service for a long time, rising from modest beginnings to reach the top. The rest of their season looks even better.

So who gets credit for finally breaking the curse?

As with a thorough thesis, many deserve recognition. One is the gracious Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Her retirement created the current vacancy, and her recent inaugural visit to campus may have cast out the demons. Another is Provost Chris Eisgruber '83, who prophesied several years ago that Judge Alito was Princeton's best hope for the bench. And of course, there is Professor Robert George, who proved that Princeton could indeed produce conservative legal thinkers. (His civil liberties course was the first class that Hannah and I took together.)

If these three individuals loaded the bases, then Judge Alito just blasted a long drive headed to right-center field, and I'm thinking ... it's history. John M. Smith '95 served as a clerk for Judge Samuel Alito '72 from 2001-02.