Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R.-Tenn.) and Sen. John Cornyn (R.-Tex.) reacted with glee to the defeat of the Democrats' filibuster attempt on Samuel Alito.
Here are Frist's remarks:
“Today, a bipartisan majority of Senators embraced the principle of a fair, up-or-down vote for judicial nominees and rejected partisan obstruction. This vote marks another step forward in restoring fairness to the judicial nominations process.
“Without question Judge Alito has the professional qualifications, judicial temperament and integrity that America expects in a Supreme Court Justice. And tomorrow a majority of my colleagues will confirm what the majority of Americans already know: that Judge Alito deserves to be Justice Alito.”
And here's what Cornyn had to say:
“The good news is that the Democrats’ partisan stunt failed, and Judge Alito will be confirmed Tuesday morning. The bad news is that there is a firmly entrenched minority of Senators who appear committed to defeat—by any means necessary—any judge who will not promise to impose the hard left’s agenda from the bench.
“Everyone seems to think Judge Alito will make an outstanding Supreme Court Justice except for the liberal special interest groups and their partisan allies in the Senate.”