Senators Question Alito on Past Statements and Rulings on Abortion, Presidential Power ...

We play excerpts of the hearings including the questioning of Alito by Senators Arlen Specter, Diane Feinstein and Jeff Sessions on abortion and Roe v. Wade and Sen. Patrick Leahy on spying and torture and Alito's membership in a discriminatory Princeton group. [includes rush transcript - partial]

On abortion, Alito vowed to approach the issue with a "open mind." But several Senators questioned whether he still believes -- as he did in 1985 -- that he personally believes "that the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion." We will hear Alito discussing abortion later in the show. But first we turn to the issue of presidential power.

* Sen. Patrick Leahy (D - VT), ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee questioning supreme court nominee Samuel Alito.

Although Samuel Alito was repeatedly questioned on the issue of abortion, he said little new beyond vowing to keep an open mind. On Tuesday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter -- the Republican from Pennsylvania -- opened his questioning of Alito by focusing on the issue of abortion.

* Sen. Arlen Specter (R - PA) , chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee questioning supreme court nominee Samuel Alito.

Later in the day, New York Senator Charles Schumer, a Democrat, raised more questions about Alito's 1985 statement that "the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion."

* Sen. Chuck Schumer (D - NY), questioning supreme court nominee Samuel Alito.

We turn to California Senator Diane Feinstein. She asked about the Casey vs. Planned Parenthood when Judge Alito voted to uphold a Pennsylvania law requiring women to notify their husbands before having an abortion.

* Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D - CA) , questioning supreme court nominee Samuel Alito.

Republican Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama attempted to counter the Democrats charges that Alito was a threat to Roe V. Wade by pointing to evidence where Alito appeared to come down on the side of protecting the right to an abortion.

* Sen. Jeff Sessions (R - AL), questioning supreme court nominee Samuel Alito.

During the Alito hearings Senators also raised numerous other issues from the constitutionality of anti-pornography laws to the 2000 case that decided the Bush-Gore election to Alito's membership in a controversial group at Princeton called the Concerned Alumni of Princeton -- a group criticized for opposing the inclusion of women and minorities at Princeton.

* Sen. Patrick Leahy (D - VT), ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee questioning supreme court nominee Samuel Alito.

Moments after Senator Patrick Leahy stopped questioning Samuel Alito about the Concerned Alumni of Princeton. Republican Orrin Hatch of Utah took up the issue.

* Sen. Orrin Hatch (R - UT), questioning supreme court nominee Samuel Alito.

Senator Joseph Biden, a Democrat from Delaware spoke about the significance of the confirmation vote before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

* Sen. Joseph Biden (D - DL), Senate confirmation hearings on Samuel Alito.

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