▁interview ed ▁the ▁four ▁final ists . ▁ ▁Ob ama ▁tele phon ed ▁Judge ▁S ot om ay or ▁at ▁ 9   pm ▁E ST ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 5 ▁to ▁alert ▁her ▁that ▁she ▁was ▁his ▁choice . ▁Later ▁that ▁night , ▁he ▁called ▁the ▁other ▁three ▁final ists ▁and ▁informed ▁them ▁of ▁his ▁decision . ▁Ob ama ▁announced ▁the ▁nom ination ▁the ▁next ▁morning ▁in ▁the ▁East ▁Room ▁of ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁in ▁a ▁press ▁conference ▁alongside ▁S ot om ay or ▁and ▁Joe ▁B iden . ▁ ▁El ena ▁K agan ▁nom ination ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Ob ama ▁nominated ▁El ena ▁K agan , ▁the ▁Sol ic itor ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁to ▁replace ▁ret iring ▁Associ ate ▁Justice ▁John ▁Paul ▁Stevens . ▁Sol ic itor ▁General ▁El ena ▁K agan ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁Senate ▁by ▁a ▁ 6 3 - 3 7 ▁vote . ▁ ▁John ▁Paul ▁Stevens ▁ret irement ▁On ▁April ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Associ ate ▁Justice ▁John ▁Paul ▁Stevens ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁ret ire ▁at ▁the ▁conclusion ▁of ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ' s ▁term ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁This ▁announ cement ▁had ▁been ▁widely ▁anticip ated ▁since ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁when ▁Stevens ▁confirmed ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁h ired ▁only ▁a ▁single ▁law ▁cl erk ▁for ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁term ▁beginning ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁(