It's funny to watch these memes develop, especially among the mindless press that often just follows like sheep. Case in point, today's coverage of Supreme Court Justice Souter's apparent retirement. Says the New York Times:
"The departure will open the first seat for a Democratic president to fill in 15 years and could prove a test of Mr. Obama’s plans for reshaping the nation’s judiciary. "(Emphasis ours)
"A vacancy would give President Obama his first chance to begin reshaping the court..."(Emphasis ours)
"Breaking news overnight that Supreme Court justice David Souter is retiring, So Obama will probably get his first chance to reshape the nation's highest court..." (Emphasis ours)
In fairness, all go on to note that this likely won't change the balance of the Court, but then why all the reshaping talk? A liberal will be replaced with a liberal, steamrolling through the Senate where the GOP doesn't even have enough votes to maintain a filibuster. And so once again,. Obama will negotiate with Harry Reid and the left, but not with anyone else.
So in the end, this doesn't really look like re-shaping, does it?