Obama Hopes to Replace Justice Souter by October

[tekisui]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama said Friday he will replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter with someone who shares the president's respect for "constitutional values" and hopes to have "him or her" seated on the nation's highest court by the start of the next term in October. In a dramatic flourish, Obama interrupted spokesman Robert Gibbs' daily press briefing to announce that he had just talked to Souter.

The news of Souter's planned retirement had broken by then, but the White House had said nothing until the president came in.

Obama thanked Souter for his dedicated service, and quickly looked ahead to the nomination of a replacement.

"As I make this decision," Obama said, "I intend to consult with members of both parties, across the political spectrum. And it is my hope that we can swear in our new Supreme Court justice in time for him or her to be seated by the first Monday in October."

Souter informed Obama of his plans in a brief letter Friday. Obama praised Souter, who is leaving after nearly two decades in Washington. His retirement gives Obama his first pick for the Supreme Court.

Souter's departure is unlikely to change the court's conservative-liberal split. Obama's first pick is likely to be a liberal-leaning nominee, much like Souter.

The vacancy could lead to another woman on the bench to join Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, currently the court's only female justice.

At 69, Souter is much younger than either Ginsburg, 76, or Justice John Paul Stevens, 89, the other two liberal justices whose names have been mentioned as possible retirees. Yet those justices have given no indication they intend to retire soon and Ginsburg said she plans to serve into her 80s, despite her recent surgery for pancreatic cancer.

In Philadelphia, Sen. Arlen Specter said he would like to see more ethnic and gender diversity on the high court. "I think that, given the proportion of women in our society, that one out of nine is underrepresented," said Specter, a recent convert to the Democratic Party. "The court could use some diversity along a number of lines," he added, mentioning African-Americans and Hispanics.

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_scotus_souter_retiring;_ylt=Ajp7Op9QjMlPvT1lDDXeE_Ss0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTJxb2NrdGloBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNTAxL3VzX3Njb3R1c19zb3V0ZXJfcmV0aXJpbmcEY3BvcwMxBHBvcwMyBHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA29iYW1haG9wZXN0bw--

[SemiCharmedQuark]

1. Ding Ding, Specter. You better vote for confirmation.

[Bankhead_ATL]

2. He better