The New York Times has a story by Adam Liptak about how Yale Law professors and students are reacting to the nomination of Yale Law graduate Samuel Alito (as well as how Yale responded to the nominations of graduate Clarence Thomas and former professor Robert Bork). If you're wondering why Yale Law School's reaction to Yalies being nominated to the Supreme Court should be considered national news, keep in mind the bio of the story's author: Adam Liptak is a 1984 graduate of Yale College and a 1988 graduate of Yale Law School who was a law student during the Bork nomination.

  In any event, here is an excerpt from the story:

  The mood here appeared to be cautiously hostile. A few students who supported Judge Alito tended to make strategic or structural arguments. Some said, for example, that ideology alone should not derail a candidate who was otherwise qualified.
  "He is a remarkably careful, conscientious, craftsmanlike, modest, even humble judge," said Peter H. Schuck, a law professor who described himself as a political moderate. "It's true that he generally comes out on the side of those who call themselves conservative. If I were in the Senate, I would like to think I would not vote against him on that ground."
  But the dominant view, based on a day of interviews at the law school, appeared to be that Judge Alito's jurisprudence represented a betrayal of the law school's liberal values.
  Prof. Robert W. Gordon, who teaches legal history, said he had read all of Judge Alito's 15 years of opinions. "Alito is a careful carpenter," Professor Gordon said. "The things are well built, but they are not beautiful. Alito in my judgment is just too steadfastly conservative."

  For responses to various aspects of the story, check out Dan Solove, Tom Smith, and Will Baude.