New details on the soon-to-come retirement of 69-year-old Justice David Souter, one of the Supreme Court's liberal voices. The Washington Post reveals that Biden has been tasked with finding a nominee:

Most often mentioned as possibilities are two appeals judges, Sonia Sotomayor of New York and Diane P. Wood of Chicago, along with Obama's new solicitor general, Elena Kagan. Vice President Biden has been charged with drawing up a list of possible nominees, according to the source close to the court.

And that his colleagues have been trying to forestall his departure.

Souter's colleagues on the bench have been trying to talk him out of retiring, according to a source close to the court.

Though he definitely wanted to leave, according to a friend.

A friend who ran into him last summer in Concord said he was surprised by just how strongly Souter spoke about wanting to leave Washington. "He said, 'If Obama wins, I'll be the first one to retire,' " said the friend, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because Souter had not yet announced a retirement.

The likehood is that President Barack Obama will choose a woman, the Post (and other media outlets) says, "Although Obama's choice would probably be far different from the 69-year-old intellectual bachelor from New Hampshire, the replacement would almost surely have a similar ideological outlook. Most court observers also believe Obama would be likely to choose a woman as his first appointment, since Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the lone female among the nine justices."

-John Byrne

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