After weeks of interviews and research, President Obama announced today that he has selected Judge Sonia Sotomayor for his nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter. Sotomayor, a judge on the 2nd District Court of Appeals, would be the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice if her nomination is confirmed by the United States Senate. She was first nominated to be a judge by President George H.W. Bush in 1991 and nominated to her current post by President Bill Clinton in 1998. Supreme Court justice nominations are one of the most important decisions a president can make because these justices examine the most important legal issues in the country and serve on the court for life, or until they decide to retire. By picking justices, a president can leave a legacy that will outlive his or her time in office. In this video, President Obama announces his choice and Judge Sotomayor makes a few comments about her selection. Quotes "And when Sonia Sotomayor ascends those marble steps to assume her seat on the highest court of the land, America will have taken another important step towards realizing the ideal that is etched above its entrance: Equal justice under the law."