Wednesday delivered a much-needed jolt with the news that Supreme Court Justice STEPHEN BREYER will retire at the end of this term. It’s a chance for the White House to pivot from the spate of bad news and rally depressed Democratic voters. Perhaps more importantly, it presents a chance for Biden to prove to Black voters — who rescued his 2020 campaign — that he can deliver for them.

On the latter point, the timing couldn’t be more opportune. The defeat of the voting rights bill last week was a final straw for many voters of color disenchanted with the lack of action on that issue as well as on police reform. A recent Quinnipiac poll showed Biden’s approval among Black voters down to 57%, from 78% a year ago.

Perhaps that’s why the White House smartly wasted little time confirming that POTUS will follow through on his campaign promise to nominate the first Black woman to serve on the high court. We’re told that right after the Breyer news dropped, civil rights leaders lit up the White House phone lines reminding the administration of the vow, and were promptly assured that press secretary JEN PSAKI would clarify that Biden intended to keep his word.