the president planned to be speaking to the american people on the subject of the mining tragedy in west virginia, but now we expect of course we will hear from him in some form or fashion, or perhaps a favor statement, or what have you, on this subject as well. we do have the regs nation resignation letter that just stevens submitted to the president, it begins my dear mr. president, having concluded it would be in the best interest of the court to have my successor appointed and confirmed well in advance of the commencement of the court s next term, i shall retire from active service as an associate justice, effective the next day after the court rises for the summer recess this year, most respectfully yours, john paul stevens. of course this is not a tremendous surprise, jon. justice stevens had been hinting he was considering retirement, he had hired one law clerk where traditionally a justice who plans to stay on for the next term would hire four, former justices are e