COMMERCIALS TARGETING ALITO VOTE A WASTE

Saturday, November 26, 2005

Senate hearings on the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the U. S. Supreme Court will not begin until Jan. 9, but the campaign both for and against him has already begun in Maine.

Television ads from interest groups are being shown in this state.

The targets are Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, two moderate Republicans who cannot be counted on as automatic votes either in support of or opposed to Alito.

The commercials are designed to persuade Mainers to pressure the senators to sway their votes.

Conservative organizations are paying for ads supporting Judge Alito's nomination. Groups concerned that the judge might vote to limit abortion rights are paying for ads opposing him.

The ads are probably a waste of money.

We doubt that either of our senators will be swayed by commercials or moved by pressure on either sides. Both say they will consider what Judge Alito says at the confirmation hearings and then decide how to vote.

That's the way this decision should be made.

This decision is far too important to be based on who has the best television commercials.