Obama personally announces Souter's retirement
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Justice David Souter announced Friday he will retire from the Supreme Court, after informing the White House of his plans.
Souter, in a brief letter to the president, said "When the Supreme Court rises for the summer recess this year, I intend to retire from active service as a justice." The current term is expected to end in late June.
President Barack Obama - breaking into the daily White House news briefing - thanked Souter for his service and said he will choose as his replacement someone who understands "the realities" people go through every day, and someone who understands "the rule of law."
The president said he also will seek someone with a "sharp, independent mind" who has integrity and strives for excellence.
He described Souter as "not only a good judge, but a good person," adding, "I'm incredibly grateful for his good service."
"I wish him safe travels on his journey home and on the road ahead," the president said.
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pam Eugene OR May 1st, 2009 6:15 pm ET
You haters really are small mined people. I can't understand why you don't go somewhere else with like minded people. Most of the people who blog here are respectful Americans and are willing to give OUR President a fair chance. You Republicans just want to come here and dump you bigoted hateful garbage .
Here here, Pam.
I'd rather search for a suppository than look at another IQ=75 post by the lunatics on the far right.
There are more fools posting here lately that it's not worth the energy reading their fools comments. Take the first few comments as an example of the stupidity of the human kind.
This is one reason why so many Americans are stupid, ignorant, hateful and wallow on their bellies like snakes. The blogs are full of hateful bashing over the "Swine Flu"; now they are taking it out on immigrants, oh my, when will it end.
It seem the "Cheney" doctrine has come full circle and he left his stench on the masses.
How much does it cost to pay to play for this job Obama?
Thank you, Justice Souter, for serving our Supreme Court well.
As a constitutional scholar, I trust President Obama to choose a new justice based on judicial prudence and integrity for all Americans.
To Iona Trailer and Cruzan Obama Mama –
Oh, I do so hope you both continue posting. Thanks for the great laugh, Iona and the right-on-target insights, O-mama. Keep 'em coming. . .
@ Beverly in NC
What a thoughtful and intelligent post! I wholeheartedly agree with you
I didn't know Obama or dems know what the laws are evident from his cabinet picks.
Just alot of hot air and a photo op.
He is on his way stacking the supreme court.
Some unique individuality is what the president has shown here, and what David SOuter shown in the Supreme court. We need more of this not people who are always looking for marching orders.
In his trying to impress people Obama remains very vulnerable and weak. If he is anxious about his popularity now that he has the need to show up in front of people almost every day, what is he going to do when people start seeing him for what he really is and begin ditching him? He's already losing people's interest, as his press conference to mark his 100th day in office was viewed by only 28.8 million viewers (that's a 29% drop from his last press conference on March 24th and a 42% fall since his first on Feb. 9th).
I will never again post on a CNN blog....it is detrimental to my health reading the ignorance of the people who wear the rose colored glasses. It is evident your knowledge comes from the media and not from reading all materials and having an informed opinion. You are the people who booed an outgoing president last January. Classless!
Do we really to see the president every day with some great announcment??..maybe he could give the job to biden..ooops I forgot'Joe still has his foot in his mouth from yesterday
Best wishes to Justice Souter. Now we can wait and see whether Obama will go for the best person for the job or whether he will go for a choice as demanded by his following – a woman, a black or a hispanic based on those qualifications first. Hopefully he will make a good decision based on the right criteria, not with race or gender as the main criteria and everything else secondary.
Why are all liberals on here such small minded biggots that call anyone not with the same opinion of them names and disrespectful comments? The other question is why are the moderators at CNN such like minded biggots that they approve of these comments?
now, if only we could get scallia and thomas off the bench..
You can bet Obama will pick a far left judge to fill the seat just like he is trying to be a far; far left president and is out of touch with people with common sense in this country.
God help this country.
You are right on, Jerry. Obama is scary. Wake up people. He is an elected official, he is not God.
I don't get it. He said he will consult both democrats and republicans. It's so stupid to me how many people will hate everything he says no matter what because he is a democrat. In the same way, EVERYTHING Bush did wasn't wrong just because he was a republican. I swear Obama could say, "The sky is blue" and the republicans would argue it was red. Name calling and rude insinuations aren't going to get people back to work, so maybe we should all look at the good he is trying to do, write letters to our congressmen about what we don't like, and work in our own lives everyday to work tword a better world...or is it just that much easier to gripe about what someone else is doing that you don't like?
"Now the doors open for abortion on demand at any age and for any reason. Infanticide itself will take another Supreme Court retirement."
But you haters have nothing against sending people to senseless wars, killing so many. You just twist things to suit your way of thinking.
Wow - don't y'all just have a lovely "OUT" by calling all those who don't agree with you "haters." It's REALLY stupid, ya know!
Well everything else Obama has done has been a screw up, so there is no doubt in my mind that whomever he appoints is going to have the exact same views as Obama. You know, the anti-Christian, Pro-Islam, baby killing, world domination, and destruction of the United States views! God Help us through these next 3.5 years!
I love that phrase "someone who knows the realities of everyday life".
I knew I voted for the right man. We won't have someone who's wife spends 750 thousand dollars a month on clothes, or someone who doesn't know how many homes he has.
Obama 2012
I love our PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am extremely thankful that we elected a Constitutional scholar and professor as President. The 8 Bush years were very depressing, in that regard.
I'm sure Obama will nominate someone who is very well-qualified – and I'm looking forward to seeing who that will be.
How come no one mentioned the qualities the President said he is looking for, they all talked about female and minority as the determining qualifications?