WAPO's false portrayal of the opposition to Alito

[ProSense]

In its article, “Blogs Attack From Left as Democrats Reach for Center,” WAPO refers to opposition to Alito as “fiery liberals raising their voices on Web sites and in interest groups vs. elected officials trying to appeal to a much broader audience.”

Liberal activists seemed to have slightly more influence with their campaign to persuade Senate Democrats to filibuster the Supreme Court nomination of Samuel A. Alito Jr. Despite several polls showing that the public opposes the effort, Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) on Thursday strongly advocated the filibuster plan -- and wrote about his choice on the Daily Kos, a Web site popular with liberals. Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.), a leading liberal and critic of the Iraq war, told reporters Kerry's viewpoint is not shared by most in a culturally conservative swing state such as West Virginia. Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) also opposes the filibuster.

Article posted here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=261772&mesg_id=261772


Was WAPO referring to these groups?

Hispanic Leaders Speak out Against Alito

January 19, 2006

Several leaders of Hispanic organizations expressed opposition Thursday to the likely Senate confirmation of Samuel Alito as a Supreme Court justice, predicting his accession to the bench would erode civil rights and advances made by Hispanics in the United States.

http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=27638&cat=Headlines&more=/news/more-news.asp

Hispanic Caucus Opposes Alito Nomination

The Rights of All Americans are in Jeopardy


(Washington D.C.)- The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) voted to oppose the nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. to the U.S. Supreme Court. After extensive examination of his record on the bench and his memoranda from the Reagan administration, the CHC found that his judicial philosophy placed him outside the legal mainstream. The primary areas of concern for the CHC were Judge Alito’s rulings on employment discrimination, voting rights, and access to the courts. Moreover, Judge Alito’s testimony and answers during the nomination hearings did not allay these concerns.

While the CHC was disappointed that President Bush did not use this opportunity to elevate one of the many qualified Latinos to the Supreme Court, the Caucus voted to oppose Judge Alito because of his record. Several opinions indicate a tendency to ignore settled law and interpret laws so unreasonably so as to negate the spirit of the law. Also troubling was Judge Alito’s repeated insistence on unrealistic standards for wronged parties to meet before a court would hear their case. Moreover, the examination procedure yielded questions regarding his commitment to an independent judiciary within the federal system.

“The Members of the CHC are very disappointed Judge Alito did not present himself during the Senate hearings as a Supreme Court nominee who would walk into the court room with an open mind on issues important not only to the Hispanic community but all Americans,” said CHC Chair Grace Napolitano. “Today this country finds itself at a critical juncture where narrow-mindedness is not an option in any court, much less the country’s highest court. With the information our public now has on Judge Alito’s background, there is no choice but to oppose his nomination.”


http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ca38_napolitano/morenews/pr012306.html

GOP moderates right to oppose Alito

By John Nichols

Confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominees should always be about more than the abortion debate. And the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to serve on the high court touched on a broad variety of issues including the essential question of whether the court will address the Bush administration's abuses of authority by enforcing the constitutional balance of powers.

But, as has been the case in confirmation hearings for the better part of three decades, the search for signals on the nominee's stance on reproductive rights matters played a dominant role in the advise and consent process that played out in Washington last week.

In something of a deviation from many past confirmation hearings, however, the dialogue about choice provided useful insights into Alito's activist approach to judging. And those insights led an influential moderate Republican group to come out against the nominee.

Snip...

Republican Majority for Choice is the largest pro-choice group in the Republican Party and has more influence than most moderate groups with GOP senators. In addition to Specter, three other Republican senators Rhode Island's Lincoln Chafee, and Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine serve on the Republican Majority for Choice advisory council. The question now is whether those senators were paying as close attention to Alito's testimony as the group they advise.

more...


http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/column/index.php?ntid=69066&ntpid=0

Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) Clergy to Visit Senators in Washington to Urge 'No' Vote on Alito Nomination

23 minutes ago

To: National Desk

Contact: Marjorie Signer of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, 202-628-7700 ext. 12 or [e-mail]


WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 /U.S. Newswire/ -- In the wake of the strong Senate Judiciary Committee opposition against the nomination of Samuel A. Alito, Jr., the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) calls on the full Senate to reject his confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. We applaud the senators who opposed this nominee, who poses a direct threat to women's health and safety.


Christian, Jewish, and Unitarian Universalist clergy who are members of the RCRC Clergy for Choice Network will be in Washington January 25 to visit their Senators and express their opposition to this nomination. Pro-choice ministers and rabbis are arriving from Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.


Samuel Alito's record and testimony leave no doubt that the court will shift to the extreme right if he is confirmed, threatening our hard-won rights and liberties for generations to come. We ask all people of faith who cherish our established constitutional rights to take a stand, said Rev. Carlton W. Veazey, RCRC President and CEO.

The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, founded in 1973, is the national coalition for religious and religiously affiliated organizations from 15 denominations and traditions, working together to ensure reproductive choice and religious freedom.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20060124/pl_usnw/religious_coalition_for_reproductive_choice__rcrc__clergy_to_visit_senators_in_washington_to_urge__no__vote_on_alito_nomination

I know why the Republicans are framing it opposition from the “fringe left,” but why is the media following suit?

[kentuck]

1. Yes, the blogs do not represent any more of the Party than...

the ones that post here. No one in the general public would ever agree with us. We are a very minute minority. And that may be true. Although I doubt it.

[Armstead]

4. We reflect AT LEAST half the country

When you get past the labels, we represent the views of at least half the country. probably more when you look at specific issues.

It's the whores in the media and the weasly politicians who allow it to seem otherwise.

Ask the average person if they believe, for example, thatt they should be subjected to unlimited abuse if they get stopped for a traffic ticket and they'd say no.

The problem is how the issues have been framed and labeled that creates the false perception that basic liberalism and progresive positions are not the majority.

[boobooday]

2. It is crucial for them to paint us as the fringe

It keeps people who otherwise would join us from doing so, and continues the project of dragging the so-called "center" to somewhere in the vicinity of James Dobson's neighborhood.

This is part and parcel of the same "diciplining" force that causes tweety to compare Michael Moore to Osama.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. As well as civil rights groups, the NYT editorial page. nt

[no_more_rhyming]

5. New Flash

WAPO recognizes vocal minority.