A process begun months ago among White House lawyers to quietly compile a list of possible Supreme Court picks has accelerated with word Justice David Souter plans to step down form the bench later this year. The nominee would give President Obama an immediate opportunity to place his stamp on the nation’s highest court, and perhaps to begin cementing his legacy with a lifetime appointment to that bench. Obama on Friday said he will seek “somebody with a sharp, independent mind and a record of excellence and integrity.” That person must honor traditions, respect the judicial process and share Obama’s grasp of constitutional values, he said
