Princetonian an air-tight candidate for the court

Even President Bush's harshest critics cannot deny that he made an excellent choice in nominating Judge Samuel Alito '72 to the Supreme Court. Judge Alito's impeccable academic pedigree, judicious temperament and vast experience — the most of any nominee in five decades — demonstrate that he is unquestionably qualified to sit on our nation's highest court. After graduating from Princeton and Yale Law School, Judge Alito served as a U. S. Attorney, arguing many cases before the Supreme Court. For the past 15 years he has served on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, an office to which he was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Senators will have the opportunity to examine a formidable paper trail in the coming months, but Judge Alito's record is unlikely to reveal any of the "radical" decisions of which he has been accused. Rather, the nominee's work will show that he is a considerate, mainstream jurist who takes a restrained view of the role of the judiciary and applies the law strictly in court decisions. A myriad of former professors, law clerks and jurists of all judicial philosophies attest to his quality. Walter Murphy, the emeritus McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, called him "the most judicious student I ever had."

One of Judge Alito's past decisions likely to draw criticism from the left is his dissent in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Judge Alito found that a law requiring that a married woman seeking an abortion sign a form saying she had notified her husband prior to undergoing the procedure did not constitute an "undue burden," the standard the Supreme Court had set for laws regulating abortions. Judge Alito has also stuck down laws restricting partial birth abortions.

It is the duty of senators to confirm any nominee found to be suitably qualified and competent, regardless of any personal disagreements with his philosophy they might otherwise hold. Judge Alito should be confirmed without delay by the Senate and take his seat on the Supreme Court. Jordan Rodriguez '08 is the communications director of the College Republicans. He is from San Antonio, Texas.