After playing a role in the White House's attempt to promote failed nominee Harriet Miers, family advocate James Dobson this time is joined by a host of conservative leaders expressing virtually unanimous, unsolicited enthusiasm for President Bush's choice of Samuel Alito to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. (Washington Post)

Dobson, founder and chairman of Focus on the Family Action, said "perhaps the most encouraging early indication that Judge Alito will make a great justice is that liberal senators such as Harry Reid and Charles Schumer and leftist pressure groups such as People for the American Way and Planned Parenthood have been lining up all day to scream that the sky is falling."

As WorldNetDaily reported, Dobson, declared initial support for Miers after a conversation with Bush adviser Karl Rove that led to threats of a subpoena to tell the judiciary committee what he might have learned about the nominee's views on abortion.

Yesterday, People For the American Way President Ralph Neas, said President Bush "put the demands of his far-right political base above Americans' constitutional rights and legal protections by nominating" Alito.

Dobson replied with satisfaction, saying, "any nominee who so worries the radical left is worthy of serious consideration."

"Based on what is now known about Judge Alito, we applaud the president for this outstanding nomination," he said.

People for the American Way is urging its members to contact their senators to oppose Alito with a petition that cites the judge's rulings on religious liberty as a problem.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a group that routinely opposes religious expression in the public square, is calling Alito "an acerbic opponent of church-state separation."

But Catholic League president William Donohue said Bush's choice of Alito has united people of different faith traditions on the right.

"Nothing brings people of faith together more than the culture wars, and that is why traditional Catholics, evangelical Protestants and Orthodox Jews are already coming together in support of Samuel Alito," he said. "Whatever theological differences they have pale in significance compared to their joint interest in religious liberty.

"Add to this the prospect of having someone on the high court who is sympathetic to the public role of religious expression, and the fight is joined at the hip."

Donohue said that "unlike those who would erect an impenetrable wall between church and state, Alito is not hostile to every religious symbol that sits on government property. Nor does he share the enthusiasm that church-state fanatics have for censoring the rights of Christian students in the public schools."

"In short," Donohue said, "it is precisely because Alito is a voice of moderation that the secular left is opposed to him."

Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice and a consultant to the White House on court picks, said the choice shows Bush "has once again fulfilled his promise of choosing nominees to the Supreme Court who are in the mold of Justices (Antonin) Scalia and (Clarence) Thomas."

"Judge Alito is a top tier judicial pick who is a well known conservative jurist with a lengthy track record of interpreting the Constitution and not legislating from the bench," Sekulow said. "… The nomination of Judge Alito will galvanize conservatives and sets the stage for a critical confirmation process in the Senate."

Samuel B. Casey, executive director of the Christian Legal Society, the nation's oldest and largest membership association of Christian lawyers and law students, said Alito's "qualifications are outstanding."

"Like Chief Justice Roberts, Judge Alito was a respected appellate advocate before he went on the bench, arguing 12 cases before the Supreme Court and numerous appeals in the lower federal courts," said Casey.

Gregory S. Baylor, director of Christian Legal Society's Center for Law & Religious Freedom, said that during his service on the 3rd Circuit, Alito "has correctly interpreted and applied the First Amendment's religion clauses."

"Judge Alito appears to understand that the Constitution protects the religious-exercise rights of all Americans," Baylor said.

For example, Baylor pointed out, "In Blackhawk v. Pennsylvania, Judge Alito and his colleagues unanimously concluded that Pennsylvania officials had violated the religious freedom rights of a Lakota Indian. In Fraternal Order of Police v. City of Newark, Judge Alito held that city officials unconstitutionally interfered with the religious exercise of Muslim police officers. In Abramson v. William Paterson College, Judge Alito held that state officials had violated an Orthodox Jewish woman's workplace religious freedom rights."

Baylor said Alito's decisions also show he rejects the idea that the First Amendment's Establishment Clause requires the "removal of all things religious" from the public square.

"Judge Alito has twice rebuffed the ACLU's efforts to dismantle holiday displays that included Christmas trees, menorahs, nativity scenes, Kwanzaa symbols and a banner stressing the importance of diversity," Baylor said.

Brad Dacus, president of Sacramento-based Pacific Justice Institute, said Alito has "consistently interpreted the Constitution as it was written and does not legislate from the bench."

"We urge the Senate to speedily confirm this jurist whose credentials have been established for many years," he said.

Dacus said he was encouraged by several of Alito's court opinions, including a dissent in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which struck down a Pennsylvania law requiring spousal notification prior to abortion.

Alito's dissent was quoted by then-Chief Justice William Rehnquist, also in dissent, when the case was appealed to the Supreme Court and became a landmark decision upholding Roe v. Wade.

Grassfire.org, a national issues advocacy organization which boasts 1 million members, said the president has "done his part by nominating a strong judicial conservative who will honor the Constitution and will not legislate from the bench."

"We expect liberal groups will unleash an unprecedented campaign to discredit Judge Alito and we are ready," said a group statement.

Grassfire.org said it already has rallied 250,000 citizens in support of a nominee like Alito and expects to reach more than 2.5 million people in support of the judge's confirmation "and opposing attacks from the Left and threats of a filibuster."

Within an hour of the president's announcement yesterday, the group's radio ads began airing in support of Alito.

Americans United for Life – a public-interest law firm focusing on abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide and human cloning – praised Alito's judicial record.

"Judge Alito has demonstrated a commitment to the Constitution with a record that consistently defers to the people's elected representatives instead of legislating from the bench," said the group's president, Peter Samuelson.

Joseph Cella, president of the Catholic group Fidelis, said Alito "is a first class nominee and his judicial philosophy appears to be one that reflects faithfulness to the Constitution and the rule of law."

"Judge Alito's background and temperament make him particularly suited to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court," Cella said. "The depth and breadth of Judge Alito's intellect and service to his country is exemplary. We are confident he will extend his record of judicial restraint and impartial leadership on the Supreme Court."

Cella also called him "a man of deep character, humility, and a congenial disposition that will serve him well during his confirmation hearings."

Cella welcomed an anticipated debate on the Constitution and the proper role of a judge and the courts as a "healthy exercise for the country."

"Early attacks by left wing interest groups are particularly worrisome," he said, "and there are signs they are already placing heavy pressure on their allies in the Senate to stop at nothing to block this nomination."

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, said Alito's record demonstrates the integrity, impartiality and commitment to the constitution that are absolutely vital for any judge expected to serve honorably on the Supreme Court."

"President Bush could not have chosen a more qualified nominee," he said. "We will fight for fair and swift confirmation hearings and a vote in the full Senate before the end of the year."

Alan Sears, president of the Alliance Defense Fund, said Alito repeatedly has "demonstrated support for following the text of the Constitution."

"We have long stated that any justice nominated to the Supreme Court should apply the Constitution faithfully and according to the intent of the founders," he said. "If Judge Alito is confirmed, it is our hope that he will rule in that fashion."

The Christian Coalition of America describing Alito as "a strict constitutionalist in the mold of Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas," said Bush "has fulfilled his campaign promise."

"President Bush has hit a homerun with this nomination," says the coalition's president, Roberta Combs.

She also described Alito as a "very tough law and order judge, one who does not coddle criminals."

Stephen M. Crampton, chief counsel for the American Family Association's Center for Law & Policy, said the nomination is "a great step forward toward returning us back to a nation of laws and not of men."

Crampton said members of his group appeared before Alito in the case of Saxe v. State College Area School District.

Samuel Alito

"Judge Alito struck as facially unconstitutional an anti-harassment policy the school had adopted," he recalled. "Under the policy, a homosexual who merely felt uncomfortable hearing the gospel could have a fellow Christian student disciplined. Judge Alito authored the majority opinion, and did not hesitate to rule against the prevailing orthodoxy of the school and the community."

Crampton said this is no time for conservatives to "sit on the sidelines."

"Our president may have faltered in the Miers nomination, but he has today given us just what he promised during his reelection campaign, a judge in the mold of Scalia and Thomas," he said. "Let's give him the support he deserves on this nomination."

Vision America President Rick Scarborough said Alito is "an outstanding nominee with more judicial experience than 105 of 109 justices appointed to the Supreme Court in its entire history."

"He's served with distinction on the Federal Appeals Court for the past 15 years, where he earned a reputation for sound reasoning and a forceful exposition of constitutional principles," Scarborough said.

Scarborough said the American people "will not tolerate an unconstitutional filibuster to block the Alito nomination."

"They will insist on the up-or-down vote to which all judicial nominees – but especially Supreme Court nominees – are entitled," he said.

Filibusters of judicial nominees amount to a "minority veto," he insisted.

"The American people elected George Bush twice. They also elected a conservative Senate," Scarborough said. "Like all of his predecessors, President Bush is entitled to appoint to the bench men and women who share his judicial philosophy."

Don Swarthout, president of Christians Reviving America's Values, said Bush "has selected a winner."

"Samuel A. Alito is an outstanding nominee because of his personal integrity, education and because of his experience as a judge," he said. "Alito understands that a judge's role is to evaluate the law and not to 'write' law from the bench. His record will speak for itself."

Swarthout said the country needs "someone on the U.S. Supreme Court who stands for the true principles of America and applies them with common sense."

"In fact, I think most of America would agree that it is time for our nation to stop our tolerance for diversity programs that are detrimental to our nation," he said. "Most Americans are tired of our lackadaisical attitude toward the principles upon which our nation was founded and they are tired of the Dr. Spock approach we seemingly use to make various decisions. We seem to have an illogical view of freedom today. Some people say that freedom means no rules, no responsibility."

Anticipating a tough fight in the Senate, Swarthout responded to Schumer's contention that Alito would divide the nation.

"The nation is already divided, and it is time for the conservatives to win one for the Gipper," he said. "Thank you President Bush, for a great choice on this one."

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Bush's base cheers Alito

Protest of filibuster organizing

Text of President Bush's remarks

Samuel Alito's statement

White House had eye on WND's Miers stories

Harriet Miers' calls it quits

Anti-Miers TV ad hitting airwaves, Internet

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Dobson reveals 'privy' Miers info

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Were winners cheated on Miers' watch?

Harriet Miers enabled abusive tax shelters?

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