Daily News Round-Up for May 1, 2009

Washington Post ( Washington , DC )

Justice David H. Souter, the Republican-appointed New England jurist who has become a reliable centrist on the Supreme Court, has told friends that he plans to retire, according to a government official.

The Week ( USA )

It ought to be obvious to any Republican why we need to make room for politicians like Snowe and Collins in our party. It’s not like we have so many votes that we can afford to throw them away. And yet, some Republicans responded to the defection this week of Sen. Arlen Specter by saying: “Good riddance-don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

Politico ( Washington , DC )

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is recruiting Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) to run for the Senate because it views Pat Toomey as unelectable against Sen. Arlen Specter, according to Gerlach’s lead consultant.

New York Times ( New York , NY )

A longtime Democratic consultant, Anita Dunn, has been coaxed into joining President Obama in the White House, agreeing to be his communications director for up to several months until a permanent appointee is named, an administration adviser said Thursday.