Just as a follow up on the abortion/Alito issue, I found this to be very interesting. Alito has had the opportunity to rule on four abortion cases, and ruled with the pro-choice side on three of them.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1102/p01s04-usju.html
Now, it was widely publicized how Alito's mom said in an interview that "of course he opposes abortion." So even though he opposes it personally, it appears as if he puts those feelings aside and rules on the law and constitutional issues.
This is a far cry from the spin (which I posted on earlier to show that what was being publicized was certainly not the truth) that he is a pro-life extremist who voted to require women to get permission from their husbands to get an abortion.
This is exactly what judges are supposed to do - put personal feelings aside and rule on the law and the constitutionality thereof. While I am pro-life, I am encouraged by these rulings because it shows what type of justice he will be.