who will replace supreme court justice david souter?

Yesterday, NPR broke the news that U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter, 69, is planing to retire at the end of the court's current term: Justice Souter To Retire From Supreme Court.

Souter's retirement would give President Obama his first appointment to the high court, and the news immediately set off speculation on who will be chosen to take his place. Law blogs, journalists, and elected officials have already begun throwing out potential names: Souter Replacements: Obama's Five Likely Picks.

Among the short list of names most often mentioned: Harold Koh, the Dean of Yale Law School, recently nominated to be the State Department's legal adviser. However, it seems unlikely that Koh will be chosen for the job -- most observers expect that Obama will appoint a woman, with only one currently serving on the bench. But someday...