Justice Souter to Retire

One of the Supreme Court's four reliably liberal justices will retire:

NPR has learned that Supreme Court Justice David Souter is planning to retire at the end of the current court term.

The vacancy will give President Obama his first chance to name a member of the high court and begin to shape its future direction.

At 69, Souter is nowhere near the oldest member of the court. In fact, he is in the younger half of the court's age range, with five justices older and just three younger. So far as anyone knows, he is in good health. But he has made clear to friends for some time that he wanted to leave Washington, a city he has never liked, and return to his native New Hampshire. Now, according to reliable sources, he has decided to take the plunge and has informed the White House of his decision.

I don't know that it will matter who is nominated to replace him. Although Souter was appointed by George H.W. Bush, he was a disappointment from the start, quickly moving pretty hard left and routinely voting with the liberals. We'll just be trading one liberal for a little younger liberal.

The GOP may want to create a battle over this first nomination, but I wouldn't bother. If Kennedy or one of the conservatives decides to retire, that's when we need to fight.