Alito respects Roe v. Wade

The wires have been abuzz with the news that Bush's Supreme nominee Sammy Alito's recent statements indicate that whatever his personal feelings (his mother claims he's pro-life), he won't overturn Roe v. Wade. Well, at least Joe Lieberman is convinced by his statements.

But Scott Lemieux calls bullshit: "It takes someone as hard-wired to roll over and play dead as Lieberman to infer something from them."

Here's what Alito said, in Lieberman's words: "He basically said . . . that Roe was precedent on which people -- a lot of people -- relied, and been precedent now for decades and therefore deserved great respect."

Noting that Rehnquist used remarkably similar language of "respecting" an opinion to which he dissented, Lemieux cautions: "these kinds statements by Alito mean absolutely nothing. Talking about 'respected precedents' is a good way of evading the issue, and that's it."

It's politics, pure and simple. Lieberman is given the cover of having been "convinced" that Alito is a moderate -- or some such baloney -- and Lieberman remains in the good graces of the Republicans in control of the Senate. (Lawyers, Guns and Money)

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