Washington D.C., Jan 9, 2006 / 22:00 pm
As senate confirmation hearings for would-be Supreme Court Justice Judge Samuel Alito enter their second day, senators--particularly those on the left--have made it clear that abortion will be one of the judge’s most aggressively pressed issues.
While the battle seems clearly split down party lines, watchers on both sides of the debate admit that the abortion issue will likely pervade the entire confirmation process.
In his opening statements, Alito steered clear of controversial issues and said that a judge’s only obligation "is to the rule of law. And what that means is that in every single case, the judge has to do what the law requires."
He said that as a federal appellate judge, "I swore that I would administer justice without respect to persons, that I would do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I would carry out my duties under the Constitution and the laws of the United States."