The NY Times on John Roberts: The Grey Lady Is Showing Her Age

In an unsigned editorial, the New York Times does its best to parrot the Harry Reid talking points line by line. Hard to believe the tripe that gets published on the Times' editorial pages these days. Some lowlights:

If he is a mainstream conservative in the tradition of Justice O'Connor, he should be confirmed. But if on closer inspection he turns out to be an extreme ideologue with an agenda of stripping away important rights, he should not be.

Translation: If he proves to be a moderate we can live with, he's okay, I guess...but if he's one of dem dere conservatives concerned with interpreting the constitution rather than legislating from the bench, out he goes!

One of the most important areas for the Senate to explore is Judge Roberts's views on federalism - the issue of how much power the federal government should have. The far right is on a drive to resurrect ancient, and discredited, states' rights theories. If extremists take control of the Supreme Court, we will end up with an America in which the federal government is powerless to protect against air pollution, unsafe working conditions and child labor. There are reasons to be concerned about Judge Roberts on this score. He dissented in an Endangered Species Act case in a way that suggested he might hold an array of environmental laws, and other important federal protections, to be unconstitutional.

Well, hallelujah...I like the man better already. If, in fact, Roberts will be a strong advocate for states' rights, then he will have been a fine choice indeed. What the Times is really saying above is Roberts is friendly to business, and of course, that interferes with the socialist utopia the Radical Left would like to impose on the rest of us.

There are also serious questions about the attitude of Judge Roberts toward abortion rights. As a lawyer in the first President Bush's administration, he helped write a brief arguing that Roe v. Wade should be overturned.

Yes, as is widely known, in his role as an advocate, not as a judge. Entirely proper, and not indicative of personal preference.

Meanwhile, check the Moderate Voice for a good roundup of reactions (hat tip to Michelle Malkin)...

UPDATE 8:37 a.m.: many thanks to the lovely and talented Michelle Malkin for the link...it's greatly appreciated!...