Excellent timing for the American Constitution Society, whose previously scheduled Law Day event at the National Press Club happened to coincide with news spreading about Justice David Souter's pending resignation.

It made for tight timing for some, like Slate's Dahlia Lithwick, the panel moderator who had to tear herself away from her own reporting to run the early afternoon event. But panelists Goodwin Liu of the University of California's Berkeley  Law School and Pamela Karlan of Stanford Law School, prior to the program beginning, were able to field questions from needy reporters.

The Los Angeles Times' estimable David Savage, The Politico's Josh Gerstein and, err, Suits & Sentences' alter ego (also here and here ) were among the reporters huddled around the professors before the show began. These are the best kind of sessions, allowing for plenty of give-and-take and follow-up questions. Professor Karlan, for instance, was able to stress her belief that President Obama can take this opportunity to appoint someone from outside the appellate court world.

"I would love to see someone (appointed) with political savvy," Karlan said.

She cited potential examples: Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, of course; but also Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill and Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire. It put Suits & Sentences in mind of something President Lyndon Johnson, or perhaps it was Sam Rayburn, supposedly said one time. Speaking about the brainiacs on the court, the aforementioned individual said something like: "I'd be a whole lot more comfortable if any of them had ever been elected county sheriff."

Suits & Sentences vows to find the exact quote.