Supreme Court fight starts out tame for Biden: The Note

President Joe Biden seemed nostalgic for a bygone era as he announced Justice Breyer's retirement on Thursday.

The TAKE with Rick Klein

President Joe Biden seemed nostalgic for a bygone era -- "in those days, we tried to do things together" -- in celebrating the career of Justice Stephen Breyer at Breyer's formal retirement announcement on Thursday.

There will be no throwbacks when it comes to confirming Breyer's replacement, whom Biden has committed to name by the end of February. But there are early reasons to think the recent streak of scorched-earth battles followed by near-party-line votes could be broken.

Both parties see reasons to turn down the temperature. Democrats, of course, want to deliver quickly on a central promise that has the added benefit of making history, given the president's commitment to name a Black woman.