More firm rhetoric on the confirmation of Judge Alito from Majority Leader Bill Frist:

"President Bush got it right when he called Judge Alito the most experienced nominee in 70 years.

 

He is – to say the least – unquestionably qualified to serve on our nation’s highest court.

 

A devoted husband and proud father, he has a brilliant legal mind … a passionate voice.

 

And let me assure you, Judge Alito WILL get a fair hearing, and a fair up-or-down vote on the floor of the United States Senate. 

 

We have but one constitutional obligation before us …to provide advice and consent.

 

Our job is to assess the merits of this nominee through the prism of ability, not ideology.  

 

Bottom line … the nominee may have changed, but the guiding principle remains the same:

 

Fair and civil Hearing. Fair Vote.

 

Obstruction will not be tolerated.

 

As Majority Leader, I look forward to bringing Judge Alito’s nomination to the Senate floor for a fair up-or-down vote soon." (all emphasis in the original)