Alito vote likely to hit delay

At first, Democrats are expected to vote against the confirmation.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democrats confirmed Friday that they will make a last-ditch attempt to slow Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito's momentum by delaying the first vote on his candidacy.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said in the waning minutes of Alito's confirmation hearing that unnamed Democrats will "exercise their rights" to put off next week's scheduled Alito vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
That vote would have been Republicans' first chance to officially endorse President Bush's pick to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. All ten GOP Judiciary Committee members have already announced their support for Alito, a 55-year-old federal appeals judge, former federal prosecutor and Reagan administration lawyer.
The White House heaped praise Friday on Alito, with spokesman Scott McClellan saying the proceedings showed Americans a man who's "brilliant, honorable and decent, open-minded and fair."
Dems' plan
But Democrats say they won't be ready Tuesday to vote on his nomination, since Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada has called on party members to hold off making a decision until after a Wednesday meeting.
"A number of our members are going to be home for Martin Luther King events this weekend, will not be back on time on Tuesday and so they will exercise their rights" to delay the vote, Leahy said.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a Judiciary Committee member, said "a delay for delay's sake would be a petty, partisan move."
Most -- if not all -- of the Senate's 55 Republicans are expected to line up behind Alito.
Judiciary chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., predicted that all eight of the committee Democrats would vote against Alito, whenever the vote is held. But on the final Senate vote, "I think there will be a little deviation," he said.
The 44 Senate Democrats have been mostly silent about their intentions, although committee senators like Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Charles Schumer of New York have indicated they will oppose Alito's confirmation.
Their liberal supporters plan to work senators hard before the final vote to ensure as many of them as possible vote against Alito, who they say will be likely to swing the court to the right in replacing Justice O'Connor.
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