Why did Alito not fudge or lie and just say, yes, Roe V. Wade is a decided issue like John Roberts did. Smile and act nice.

Why did he back off that smile he had earlier on, which point it would not have brought up the hostility it did.

Why was it that he got nastier and snider in his looks?

Because Bush did not want him to be smiley and rush through the nomination but to create a major fight. Bush wanted this.

Alito could have lied (even under oath), or fudge the facts and there is really no recourse later on for later rulings (judges don't have to answer for their rulings later on, and it is not easy enough to impeach a judge)...

so obviously this was all fixed, and once again the public are fools IMHO

Anyone have a better reason ??? We have been used.

Because he did not believe it was a decided issue.

Also, because he has a sense that each case deserves independent analysis based upon its facts and the applicable law at issue.

He could have said that Roe v. Wade is settled law and still ruled to overturn it based on an appication of new facts and circumstances...

Roberts DIDN'T say that! He said he wouldn't say how he'd decide on cases likely to come before the court, maybe it was him keeping his word.

Right, and that's ideally what you'd want in a SC nominee.

The worst thing about Alito is that he was appointed by the Bush regime.

Because he intends on 'chipping away at it'.

The abortion issue is a big diversion, in any case. The main thing is the recognition of women's rights to control their own lives. Fundies don't believe in that, they want to be able to revert back to the 19th century rules, when men controlled and owned everything, and women had no say in anything.