Few positions in the world confer as much power and autonomy as that of a Justice of the US Supreme Court. If confirmed in his post, Samuel Alito will help shape the character of national life potentially for decades to come, ruling not only on the most contentious issues of today, but on future cases of great consequence as yet unimagined. It therefore behoves the Senate to examine the nominee respectfully but thoroughly over the weeks ahead, before deciding whether to consent to his appointment.

Thankfully, it appears that in spite of the best efforts of partisans on both sides to present the nomination in starkly ideological terms, the US public wants a reasonable, nuanced hearing. The question is not whether Mr Alito is a conservative. Twenty-one years ago, he wrote in a job application "I am and have always been a conservative". Rather the question is what kind of conservative he would be: whether he has the character and judicial philosophy befitting a Supreme Court justice.