O'Connor Retires

Justice Sandra Day O'Connnor has announced her retirement from the Supreme Court today, and the discussion over her replacement has begun in earnest. Aside from who her replacement will be, the most common question being asked seems to be whether her replacement should be a woman. What a bunch of hooey. There may be practical political considerations at play here, but ultimately, judicial philosophy and temperament are more important than sex or race in determining who will replace Justice O'Connor. If the most highly qualified candidate to replace Justice O'Connor is a woman, the President should nominate that woman, and the same holds true if it's a man.