There's a reasonable article in the NY Times about Justice Souter and looking for a replacement. However, there's this great section in the middle of the article about Obama's expressed desire to find someone that actually understands the world:

If he feels it necessary to put someone with “real world” experience on a court now heavy with former appellate judges, President Obama may turn to someone with political, rather than judicial, experience — or someone who has both. A dozen or more names were floated as possible candidates on Friday, including black women, and some had appealing, up-from-the-bootstraps personal histories.

I love the implication that someone that is a politician is more connected to the people than a judge. Because we know how many non-white, non-rich, salt of the earth politicians there are, right? They obviously exist, but being a politician certainly doesn't make you a down to earth, connected to the little people type. 

Is it really the collective wisdom that being a politician automatically means you are more directly connected to the people? Ugh.