Daily Briefing, Part I: Alito Was 'Tidy, But Not Fancy'

•Democrats make "halfhearted" attempt to avert the inevitable confirmation ofSamuel Alito;BushcongratulatesAlitofor "doing a great job." Committee vote will likely fall along partisan lines; White House expectsAlitoto win between 60 and 70 votes in the Senate.

[ WP , NYT , W$J , USAT , LAT , WT , WT ]

• Alitoseen to have a "conservative tint." Historian: "BothAlitoandRobertsfall closer toScaliaandThomasthan they do toO'Connor." [ WP , NYT , USAT ]

• Alito's wife "generated sympathy for her husband in the hearing room and, perhaps, beyond Washington among Americans who had otherwise tuned out." [ NYT ]

• Alito"looked tidy but not fancy" -- "as unremarkable as possible" -- and his wife was "pleasant but not obsequiously adoring,"Robin Givhanwrites. [ WP ]

•Questioning ofAlitocentered on presidential powers;Robertswas mostly quizzed on civil rights. [ WP ]

•Sen.Kennedy(D-Mass.) belongs to a Harvard social club that was expelled for only admitting males. [ WT ]

•Liberal groups prepare for ongoing battle againstAlito. [ LAT ]