David Souter Will Retire in June

NPR broke the news about two hours ago: 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...

He-Said, She-Said, or Compliance With the Law?

Politico’s Glenn Thrush continues the Republican meme of Nancy Pelosi complaining that she didn’t know detainees were being waterboarded when she was fully briefed about it in 2002: Nancy Pelosi sat down with CNN’s Candy Crowley tonight and gave her most detailed — and passionate...

The Last Republican Moderate

Kudos to Olympia Snowe — one of two remaining moderates in the Republican Party — for putting the blame for Arlen Specter’s party switch where it belongs: It is disheartening and disconcerting, at the very least, that here we are today — almost exactly eight years after Senator Jim...

Arlen Specter Leaves the Party of No

Everybody’s heard the news by now. Here’s a roundup of commentary and reaction in blogtopia and elsewhere. Jonathan Chait thinks Arlen Specter is an “unprincipled hack.” I think that’s a bit harsh. Obviously, Specter’s poor nonexistent chances of winning the Republican...

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Breaking News … Arlen Specter is bolting from the Party of Nutters and becoming a Democrat.