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Three Democrats Support Alito; Kerry Wants Filibuster
By Melanie Hunter
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
January 27, 2006

(CNSNews.com) -- Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) is the latest Democrat to announce his support for Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito. That makes three Democrats who have so far said they will vote to confirm Judge Alito.

"My considered judgment from his record, from his answers to my questions, and from his obvious intelligence and sincerity, leads me to believe him to be an honorable man who loves his country, loves his Constitution and will give of his best. Can we really ask for more?" Byrd said.

Sen. Tim Johnson, a South Dakota Democrat, announced Thursday that he will vote for Alito. Sen. Ben Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat was the first Democrat to say he would support Alito.

Wire reports said Alito also has 51 Republican votes, thus assuring his confirmation to the nation's highest court.

The Family Research Council, meanwhile, praised Johnson for his support of Alito, calling it "the right thing for both his state of South Dakota and the nation."

FRC President Tony Perkins noted that his group placed an ad in South Dakota calling upon Johnson "to reject the extreme agenda advanced by Senator Ted Kennedy and other liberal forces."

Perkins said Johnson "rightly rejected Democratic leadership's charge that Alito is 'radical' or 'outside the mainstream.' He also called on other Democrats to follow Johnson's and Nelson's example of "fair-minded support of Judge Alito."

Sen. John Kerry, on the other hand, will try to filibuster Alito, CNN reported Thursday. The Massachusetts Democrat, in Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, was culling support by phone calls to his fellow Democrats.

Kerry reportedly told a group of Democratic senators Wednesday of his plans for a filibuster and called on them to join him. According to Kerry, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) supports a filibuster.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), assistant Democratic leader, told reporters, "I've come to the conclusion that it is highly unlikely that a filibuster would succeed."

Republicans would need 60 votes to defeat a filibuster and force a vote on Alito.

Byrd, Johnson, and Nelson are calling on their Democratic colleagues not to filibuster Alito. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) also said she opposes a filibuster.

"Because we have such a full plate of pressing issues before Congress, a filibuster at this time would be, in my view, very counterproductive," CNN quoted Landrieu as saying.

Cybercast News Service Senior Editor Susan Jones contributed to this report.

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