Will Obama Announce Supreme Court Pick This Week?

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs today declined to rule out an announcement this week of President Obama's choice to succeed Justice John Paul Stevens (pictured) on the Supreme Court.

Gibbs said Mr. Obama was "close" to a decision; he also responded "no" when asked if reporters could rule out this week for an announcement. (Of course, that doesn't mean an announcement will come this week.)

Gibbs was also asked if the president, whose public schedule is relatively sparse today, is using the day to interview potential nominees.

"I'm not going to get into the interview process that the president has," Gibbs said. "Safe to say there is a lot on the president's plate, and a lot that he's doing out of the watchful eye of the public."

"And today," he was asked, "does that include Supreme Court?"

"I anticipate that he is working on the process of the Supreme Court, without getting into the specifics of what those actions might be," replied the press secretary.