It is fascinating to watch the media-right-wing screech-a-thon begin with the announcement by Justice David Souter that he will be retiring from the Supreme Court once a replacement has been approved by the Senate. All the old tropes, memes, talking points, and other such things are trotted out, with the additional fun that Souter is almost universally despised by the right.
Pres. Obama has said that he understands the importance of this part of his job. That's about it.
The differences between the reaction of the right and the Obama Administration - indeed, of any Administration in recent memory - to the question of who will sit on the Supreme Court is telling. Obama understands that this is about appointing someone who will sit for life on the highest court of our country of laws. The right, already in meltdown mode, is beside itself with the thought that Obama might just appoint (gasp! grab chest in Red Foxx-style fake heart attack!) a liberal who might not be an old white guy. . . Heaven forbid.
Rather than make this another "test" of his Administration, it is nothing more or less than part of the job. I like that. It keeps everyone calm, and keeps the press from making every event a crisis or test or something earth-shaking. I like that.
