Morning copy 01.31.2006

Coretta Scott King passed away Monday night, CNN.

Filibusted

As of 11:09 EST, Alito has enough votes to be confirmed.

The New York Times has a wonderful insider lede on the Alito nomination strategy:

Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. e-mailed the text of his opening statement to the White House. It included very little about his legal thinking, dwelled at length on his family and opened with a tired and rambling joke about courtroom banter between a lawyer and a judge.

The response from the White House: "Perfect, don't change a word," according to an administration official who was granted anonymity because Judge Alito's preparation sessions were confidential.

The Boston Globe on the Massachusetts filibusters:

Several other Democrats who voted for the filibuster also did so with reluctance, saying that they had doubts about its wisdom but that they would go along with the effort.

Kerry and Kennedy, however, were unapologetic.

The nomination of Samuel Alito will be voted on around 11:00 a.m. today, Washington Post.

The court is set to reposition with Anthony Kennedy in the middle -- whatever that means, Washington Post. This month the Atlantic argued that it will be Stevens' court, for a time.

State of the Union

New York Times: "Bush Will Use Address to Focus on Alternative Fuels and Nuclear Plants"

The Denver Post says:

Washington - President Bush's attempt to jump-start a troubled second term with his State of the Union address tonight will be complicated by memories of the major initiatives he announced in last year's speech and failed to deliver.

The Chicago Tribune:

President Bush's expected push for health reform in Tuesday's State of the Union address could face significant political obstacles, but the president is counting on the public's deepening frustration with mounting medical costs to overcome the resistance.

The Democratic response will be delivered by newley elected Virginian Timothy M. Kaine, A.P.:

ARLINGTON, Va. – Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, tapped to deliver the State of the Union response for Democrats, has sharp words for both parties in Washington: Stop being so partisan, negative and irrelevant. “There's a better way,” he said Monday.

Let's get religious

The Boston Globe: "Democrats courting Catholics"

The Los Angeles Times: "Evangelicals Branch Out Politically"

The National Guard

A.P. report via the New York Times:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (AP) — National Guard officials said Monday that recruiting had accelerated so much in recent months that they expected to expand the Guard even as the Bush administration proposes to shrink it.

Two polls

The St. Louis Post Dispatch has two polls today.

As political colors go, Illinois is bluer than ever. A strong majority of likely voters in Illinois appear dissatisfied with Republican President George W. Bush as well as with the Iraq war, the economy and the overall direction of the nation, according to a new Post-Dispatch/KMOV-TV (Channel 4) poll.

As a result, Missouri voters appear to be less enamored of President George W. Bush than they were in fall 2004, when Bush easily carried the state in his bid for re-election.

Iraqi poll

Knight Ridder via the Seattle Times:

WASHINGTON — A new poll found that nearly half of Iraqis approve of attacks on U.S.-led forces, and most favor setting a timetable for American troops to leave.

The poll also found that 80 percent of Iraqis think the United States plans to maintain permanent bases in the country even if the newly elected Iraqi government asks U.S. forces to leave. Researchers found a link between support for attacks and the belief among Iraqis that the U.S. intends to keep a permanent military presence in the country.