Confirmation to top court appears likely

Judiciary Committee senators are to discuss the nomination Tuesday.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Samuel Alito coasted toward probable confirmation as the 110th Supreme Court justice Thursday, with the only question after 18 hours of grueling Senate interrogation being how many Democrats would support him.
Alito said nothing to undermine his solid support by the Senate's majority Republicans during three days of aggressive questioning by Democrats who challenged his credibility, judicial philosophy and independence.
"I am my own person, with whatever abilities I have and whatever limitations I have," Alito declared as he wrapped up his final public appearance before senators begin voting on his nomination to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
Democrats contend the former Reagan administration lawyer is likely to swing the court to the right in replacing the centrist Justice O'Connor, who has provided decisive votes on such important issues as abortion, capital punishment and affirmative action.
Judiciary Committee senators will meet next Tuesday to begin debating the nomination of the 55-year-old federal judge's nomination. Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., had wanted a committee vote then, but Democrats are expected to delay it for a week after that so they can discuss the nomination together first.
Senate Democratic Leader Harry "Reid is urging all Democrats to refrain from committing to a vote either for or against confirmation prior to the caucus next Wednesday," spokesman Jim Manley said.
Specter confirmed late Thursday that the date of the committee vote was up in the air. "It's been very hard to get a focus on that," he told reporters.
Republican support
Delay is not likely to change Alito's support among the Senate's 55 Republicans. GOP senators, both on and off the committee, praised Alito as his testimony ended.
"I enthusiastically endorse and support Judge Alito's nomination," Chuck Hagel of Nebraska said Thursday. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., noted to the judge that his high school friends "predicted you would serve on the Supreme Court one day, and I think that's going to turn out to be a good prediction."
Chances of a nomination-crippling filibuster seemed to dim as the day went on, with two members of the "Gang of 14" -- centrist senators who brokered a deal last year to avoid a filibuster showdown over judges -- saying Alito's nomination does not deserve one.
Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, "does not believe that Judge Alito warrants a filibuster," spokeswoman Antonia Ferrier said.
Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., said, "So far I have seen nothing during my interview with the nominee, the background materials that have been produced or through the committee process that I would consider a disqualifying issue against Judge Alito."
Praise for O'Connor
Alito offered words of respect for Justice O'Connor, the woman he would replace. "She has been known for her meticulous devotion to the facts of the particular cases that come before her and her belief that each case needs to be decided on its complex facts," Alito said.
Democrats argue that Alito, in 15 years as an appellate judge, has built a conservative record that foretells his Supreme Court stance. But they face an uphill battle in finding enough votes to filibuster his nomination -- the only way they can stop him.
It takes 41 votes to sustain a filibuster, and there are 44 Democrats and one Democratic-leaning independent.
"We can only afford to lose five senators favoring Judge Alito before a filibuster is impossible," said Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat. "It's a very tight margin, and I'm not going to presume one way or the other whether my colleagues are even interested in it."
Added Reid: "We have not ruled out extended debate. We haven't ruled it in."
Several committee Democrats made it clear they were not inclined to vote for Alito, including Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Charles Schumer of New York.
The Democrats repeatedly attacked Alito's decisions as a judge on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and his writings while a lawyer for the Reagan administration.
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