and gender and not nearly enough on quality that makes them worthy for the highest court in the land. >> i am looking forward to making sure there is a black woman on the supreme court and making sure. not a joke. i've worked very hard for that. >> that was joe biden on the campaign trail back in 2020. now his pledge is but a prelude to what could be a presidency altering selection. but the longtime liberal supreme court justice stephen breyer now said to leave the bench at the conclusion of this term. >> i will let him make whatever statement he is going to make and i will be happy to talk it out of him later. >> the story broke before breyer could announce his decision surprising that just as in many court watchers would seem him repeatedly resist previous calls for him to step down, thus clearing the way for younger jurists.