Roberts Confirmed to be Supreme Court Justice, 78 to 22

In what was pretty much a forgone conclusion after Judge John Roberts remarkable accounting during the Senate Judiciary hearings last week. This confirmation vote of John Roberts today that will affect the United States for the next 30 years, AP is reporting that John Glover Roberts Jr. has become the 17th chief justice of the United States winning confirmation from the Senate 78-22.

overwhelmingly confirmed by the Senate to lead the Supreme Court through turbulent social issues for generations to come. The Senate voted 78-22 to confirm Roberts — a 50-year-old U.S.

The Democrats were split along the vote where only the most liberal, or ones with secure seats in upcoming elections voted against Judge Roberts as Confirm Them reports.

The Washington Post reports that Roberts will take the oath of office later today at the White House and will participate on Monday — the first Monday in October — in a Supreme Court induction ceremony as the justices begin their new term.

Roberts, 50, will be the youngest person in the exalted position of chief justice since John Marshall, an appointee of President John Adams who took office in 1801 at the age of 46.

CNN reports Judge John Roberts was easily confirmed Thursday to be the 17th chief justice of the United States, winning Senate approval with a solid majority.

All 55 Republicans were united in their support. They were joined by 22 Democrats and one independent senator. Twenty-two Democrats voted no.

I have to agree with Joe Gandelman at The Moderate Voice,

“So Democrats were split enough that the entire party can’t be labeled as having opposed Roberts.

But if you read this one thing stands out: the vote will be most troublesome to Hillary Clinton, who has been burnishing her credentials as a centrist”.

Michelle Malkin, ROBERTS IS IN

Powerline with an astute read on the nature of the vote by Democrats and dead on.

The willingness of half the Senate Democrats to vote against a candidate of Judge Roberts’ ability, accomplishment, and temperament is a disgrace, and one that will likely change the “rules of engagement” with respect to the Supreme Court confirmation process for years to come.

Wizbang, Blah, Blah, Roberts Vote, Blah. Live video of the proceedings if you’re so inclined

From ABC News;

The 50-year-old U.S. appeals court judge planned to watch the Senate vote from the White House’s Roosevelt Room, and then have lunch with President Bush and first lady Laura Bush. Afterward, he was to be quickly sworn in at the White House, so he can take his seat in time for the new court session Monday. The high court will be tackling issues like assisted suicide, campaign finance law and abortion.

No ABC report would be complete without a comment from the senior Senator from Massachusetts:

“I hope I am proved wrong about John Roberts,” said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., the Senate’s longtime liberal stalwart. “I have been proved wrong before on my confirmation votes. I regret my vote to confirm Justice Scalia, even though he, too, like Judge Roberts, was a nice person and a smart Harvard lawyer.”

SCOTUS with a short but simple … “Its Official“

Also blogging on the confirmation of Roberts, Stop the ACLU: Today Is The Day – A Floor Vote On Our Next Chief Justice

A Certain Slant of Light; An so it is done. John Roberts will be sworn in as Chief Justice at 3:00pm EDT today at the White House.

Update: Opinions and Rants from the LEFT

For the Left’s view it would seem that the Daily Kos is taking a wait and see approach.

Need to whether the “dry powder keg” strategy was the right one until we see how Democrats handle the next nomination. The jury is still necessarily out. So what are we looking for in Bush’s next nominee? I think two options would be best for us:

Their suggestions the The Alberto Gonzales option or the The Priscilla Owen one. As Kos goes on to say, “The worst possibility for us? Another Roberts. Would the American Taliban allow that to happen? They want red meat and expect O’Connor’s replacement to be their reward for good behavior.”

The fact that the Left continues to throw around so loosely the term “American Taliban” tells me they are in for another tough rude awakening on the next Supreme Court Justice nomination as well.

Then we have My DD, Senate Confirms Roberts; seems to have some lessons learned from the left after this damaging blow as confirmation was by an even wider margin than expected.

The mistakes of this last campaign will not be forgotten. In the blog world, mistake number one was having someone like me develop the original “partisan hack” messaging in the first hours after Roberts confirmation. Out second mistake was having someone like me, with no legal expertise, live blog the hearings.

To be honest it is usually the fact that there is never any lessons learned and the same tired partisan playbook that is always the norm when it comes to such political or judicial situations. This isn’t a matter of who is to blame or willing to take a fall on the Left. The fact that Judge John Roberts was a great candidate for the position seems to have no factor when the Left looks at such issues. Sometimes a good candidate is just a good candidate. The ABA, who has not always been kind to Republican nominees, more than overwhelming approved Judge Roberts and with such recommendations how can one argue against him with credibility.