By Lauren Wilbert Washington Correspondent (Spartanburg) Herald-Journal
November 2, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Wednesday he's convinced that Judge Samuel Alito is the next John Roberts after meeting with the new Supreme Court nominee for the first time.

"This man has a resume to die for," Sen. Graham said. "After 15 years on the bench, there's not a great mystery about whether he's a conservative or not."

Judge Alito is a 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge. He and Sen. Graham discussed the war on terror, right of privacy issues and Alito's rulings in two cases involving Planned Parenthood, Sen. Graham said. The senator said he's pleased the president came through on his promise to pick a conservative, strict constructionist for the court.

Sen. Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, noted that if he got the chance to be president, he would do the same.

While the committee has not scheduled nomination hearings, threats of Democratic filibusters to protest President Bush's pick are swirling in Capital Hill.

"It's not extraordinary to be conservative or liberal," Sen. Graham said. "There are plenty of Americans that are well qualified for the court who happen to be conservative or liberal. If we start having filibusters over ideological differences and judicial philosophy, then I think we're going to erode the quality of people who want to be judges."

Sen. Graham said he warned Judge Alito to prepare himself and his family for unpleasant comments to come and suggested the Philadelphia-based judge not pick sides on any case just to impress senators in hopes of confirmation.

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