More americans favor Alito

[D. Scarlatti]

Originally Posted by alphamale

Blackmun was a sort of stealth candidate ...

"Stealth candidate" is now the latest conservative buzzword, and calling Blackmun one does nothing to counter SS's point. His record on the circuit court was very similar to Burger's and he began his career on the Supreme Court as a conservative. He was hardly a "stealth candidate."

... who was nominated after two Nixon conservative appointments were turned down.

There's a bit more to it than that. Haynsworth was ethically challenged and Carswell was, even in the words of the Republican Senator in charge of managing his nomination, a mediocrity. Even so, SS's point stands.

Breyer was the appointee of Clinton, infamous for his liberal appointments.

This is just silly. What Clinton is "infamous" for is not supporting his liberal nominees whenever a hint of Republican opposition manifested itself.

Like Blackmun, Kennedy was appointed by a republican (Reagan), who had to deal with a democrat senate, after two conservative nominations had been turned down.

Again, so what? Is everyone that doesn't rule in accordance with the dittohead party line a "stealth candidate"? You can't effectively analyze Supreme Court dynamics in terms of your superficial politics. In addition to the factors SS enumerated, there is the question of Kennedy's concern with his own legacy, which is becoming apparent to anyone that follows the Court closely.