Just across on NPR.

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.

Factors in his decision no doubt include the election of President Obama, who would be more likely to appoint a successor attuned to the principles Souter has followed as a moderate-to-liberal member of the court’s more liberal bloc over the past two decades.

Barring the appoint of a full-out Marxist, this really doesn’t change anything on the court. Obama will most likely appoint a liberal and, as the report states, Souter was a reliable liberal vote. The make-up will still be four conservatives and four liberals with Kennedy as a swing. So, nothing to worry about — yet.

Allahpundit points out that Specter voted against the appointment of Bork apparently because he was too “radical” of a choice, and asks if Specter will dare to do the same thing now that he needs Obama in order to win re-election. I actually wouldn’t be surprised. Specter voted against Obama’s budget and mortgage rescue amendment today, which is sure to piss-off the president.