Fox News reports that hearings on Judge Alito’s nomination to the Supreme Court will commence on January 9, 2006. The activist groups of the Left now have eight weeks to find something to bring down the nomination, or to convince Democratic senators to filibuster the floor vote. They will fail, but there is no excuse for Arlen Specter acquiescing in a delay of such length, even taking into account the normal rhythms of the Senate’s vacation calendar.