John Paul Stevens's resignation at the age of 90 (well almost) is a double edged sword for Obama. In one way it is good news as it gives him a chance to appoint a new one, one of the most important appointments he will make. However, it means that he has to choose carefully; too liberal and he will have a significant fight on with the Senate just before the November mid-terms, too conservative and he may not subscribe to Obama's liberal philosophy once on the court. John Paul Stevens himself is an example of the danger of the latter as he was a liberal appointed by a Republican President, Gerald Ford, in 1975. Whatever the decision, the events over the next few months will be useful examples. See here for the Times article and here for the Washington Post special on his resignation.
