NEWSMAKER-US court nominee Alito a conservative like Scalia

By James Vicini

WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Samuel Alito, a federal appeals court judge chosen by President George W. Bush for the U.S. Supreme Court, has a staunchly conservative judicial philosophy that has earned him the nickname of "Scalito." The nickname was given to the 55-year-old Alito because his views have been similar to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, one of the two most conservative members of the Supreme Court.

Folks, this is frightening.

Alito has affirmed abortion restrictions

10/31/2005, 12:34 p.m. ET By GINA HOLLAND The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush's new Supreme Court nominee has a clearer track record on abortion and would become a tie-breaking vote in deciding how far the government can go to restrict women's access to the procedure.

It is not guaranteed that conservative judge Samuel Alito would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, the court's landmark ruling ensuring a woman's right to abortion. However, he has sharply different views from the justice he was picked to replace, Sandra Day O'Connor, and could shift the court to the right on the issue.

O'Connor has provided the fifth vote to limit government power to restrict abortions. Under her standard, limits that impose an "undue burden" on women must be struck down.