Justice Stevens: 'I'd Rather Be in Florida'

In a rare interview with Justice John Paul Stevens, New Yorker writer Jeffrey Toobin asks, “What will the Supreme Court be like without its liberal leader?” Stevens, the Supreme Court’s senior justice, has served 11 years longer than the next most experienced judge and is 13 years older than his closest colleague. He’s considering retirement now that President Obama is in office and could pick a successor. “I have a great admiration for [Obama] and certainly think he’s capable of picking successfully, you know, doing a good job of filling vacancies,” Stevens said, adding he will make up his mind in about a month: “You can say I will retire within the next three years. I’m sure of that.” Stevens also mentioned his aversion to State of the Union addresses, saying he will not, under any circumstances, be seen at another one. “First, they are political occasions, where I don’t think our attendance is required. But also, it comes when I am on break in Florida. To be honest with you, I’d rather be in Florida than in Washington.”