Democratic California Senator Dianne Feinstein will be a key player in determining Samuel Alito's fitness for the Supreme Court. She's a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Her Democratic Senate colleague Barbara Boxer won't play as large a role. But it was Boxer who had strong words for the nominee Monday. Chad Pergram reports from Capitol Hill.
Boxer's long been a champion for women. She feels President Bush wasn't a strong enough advocate for Harriet Miers, especially when the vacant Supreme Court seat belongs to Sandra Day O'Connor, the first female to sit on the high court.
Boxer: "So it's almost as if he said,'OK, I did that, now let's go back to what I'm comfortable with, a right-wing member of the judiciary who brings no diversity and brings the the most extreme views to the court.'"
President Bush campaigned for office as being a uniter, not a divider. But Boxer contends the selection of Alito doesn't reflect that, especially considering Alito's conservative leanings.
Boxer: "This makes him look very weak to me because obviously he withdrew Harriet Miers because of the right wing and now instead of bringing the American people together and going with the mainstream and a mainstream candidate, he turns far right."
Boxer wasn't willing to call for Democrats to filibuster Alito. In a statement, Senator Dianne Feinstein said she hoped that members of both sides would quote "hold their fire" and not Judge Alito, until the Judiciary Committee evaluates the nominee. From Capitol Hill, Chad Pergram, KPBS news.
