President Obama has Begun Talking to Potential Supreme Court Nominees

A senior administration official confirms to Fox News, that President Obama has begun to speak informally to potential Supreme Court nominees. The official would not describe  the logistics of the conversations, whether in person at the White House or by phone, for example.

These talks are not considered by the White House to be formal interviews of the kind conducted just before the President makes his choice to as a nominee to replace retiring Associate Justice John Paul Stevens.

The list of potential nominees is still at "about 10," the official said. References by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs to an "ever-expanding list" of possible picks describe "efforts of the people on the (White House search) committee to cast a wide net as they consider folks for including on the The List," the official said.

President met with Senate leaders as well as Senate Judiciary Committee members Wednesday to discuss a timetable and procedures of the nominee process.

After that meeting, according to Deputy White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, Obama called nine senators to consult with them on his Supreme Court choice

Earnest called this gesture part of Obama's "commitment to reach out to senators on both sides of the aisle about his nominee to the Supreme Court. " More calls to senators are planned.

The list of senators Obama spoke to today after his White House meeting:

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York

Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pennsylvania

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island

Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Arizona

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota