Supreme Court Judge Hospitalized - ThyroidFilter
October 25, 2004 9:51 AM Subscribe
Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist has been hospitalized for treatment of thyroid cancer. Doctors expect to release the 80 year old chief justice later this week. Rehnquist had a tracheotomy on Sunday after being admitted to Bethesda on Friday. More coverage abounds.
This could be bad news for a woman's right to choose.
posted by jpoulos at 10:04 AM on October 25, 2004
posted by jpoulos at 10:04 AM on October 25, 2004
This is unexpected news. I had always consider Rehnquist a bit wicked (by my lights) and so I guess I'd assumed that he would live forever.
I imagine he'll still be up to ruling for George W. Bush (again), though, if the election is contested and the decision falls to the Supreme Court.
posted by troutfishing at 10:27 AM on October 25, 2004
I imagine he'll still be up to ruling for George W. Bush (again), though, if the election is contested and the decision falls to the Supreme Court.
posted by troutfishing at 10:27 AM on October 25, 2004
How is Chief Justice determined? (I don't want Scalia up there).
posted by amberglow at 10:55 AM on October 25, 2004
posted by amberglow at 10:55 AM on October 25, 2004
jpoulos - "Shortly after President Richard Nixon named him as an associate justice in 1972, Rehnquist dissented in Roe v. Wade (1973), which established that a woman's right to an abortion was protected under a woman's right to privacy...". Rehnquist was pretty bad already.
posted by troutfishing at 10:57 AM on October 25, 2004
posted by troutfishing at 10:57 AM on October 25, 2004
amberglow - The Chief Justice entry from the Wikipedia
"The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the Judicial Branch of the government of the United States, and presides over the Supreme Court of the United States. The office is often, and incorrectly, referred to as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is composed of nine members, though that number has varied over the years, headed by the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice, like all the other justices, is nominated by the President and confirmed to sit on the court by the U.S. Senate. Some justices, like William H. Rehnquist, were elevated to the highest post on the court by the President after having served previously on the bench as associate justice. Most others, like William Howard Taft and Earl Warren, were nominated to the highest bench without any previous experience on the court."
posted by bshort at 11:05 AM on October 25, 2004
"The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the Judicial Branch of the government of the United States, and presides over the Supreme Court of the United States. The office is often, and incorrectly, referred to as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is composed of nine members, though that number has varied over the years, headed by the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice, like all the other justices, is nominated by the President and confirmed to sit on the court by the U.S. Senate. Some justices, like William H. Rehnquist, were elevated to the highest post on the court by the President after having served previously on the bench as associate justice. Most others, like William Howard Taft and Earl Warren, were nominated to the highest bench without any previous experience on the court."
posted by bshort at 11:05 AM on October 25, 2004
Amberglow - a Chief Justice is nominated and confirmed by the Senate. It's a new position, not an internal promotion. If Scalia or Thomas is nominated, he will need to be confirmed as Chief Justice just as if he had never been on the Court at all. It's just as likely that the next CJ will be someone from outside the court such as Al Gonzales.
With Roe, note that Rehnquist dissented in two ways: He first argued that the plaintiff (Roe) didn't have standing to challenge the Texas abortion law, since her pregnancy was hypothetical and not actual. His substantive argument would have been mere dicta had his view been the majority approach.
posted by PrinceValium at 11:09 AM on October 25, 2004
With Roe, note that Rehnquist dissented in two ways: He first argued that the plaintiff (Roe) didn't have standing to challenge the Texas abortion law, since her pregnancy was hypothetical and not actual. His substantive argument would have been mere dicta had his view been the majority approach.
posted by PrinceValium at 11:09 AM on October 25, 2004
Maybe Rehnquist will stick around.
Politics aside, it would be kind of cool hearing him deliver verdicts through one of those voice box gizmos.
posted by jonmc at 11:13 AM on October 25, 2004
Politics aside, it would be kind of cool hearing him deliver verdicts through one of those voice box gizmos.
posted by jonmc at 11:13 AM on October 25, 2004
Thanks all...i always wondered about that. I bet there'll be pressure for him to step down, so that Bush will get at least one Supremes appt while he still can, no?
posted by amberglow at 11:21 AM on October 25, 2004
posted by amberglow at 11:21 AM on October 25, 2004
Rehnquist was pretty bad already.
Yeah, I realized that after I posted. I guess was caught up in the fervor to post a lame, hackneyed joke.
posted by jpoulos at 11:25 AM on October 25, 2004
Yeah, I realized that after I posted. I guess was caught up in the fervor to post a lame, hackneyed joke.
posted by jpoulos at 11:25 AM on October 25, 2004
Recall the Suskind article: Bush told a group of R.N.C. Regents [big $$$ supporters] last month "that there will be an opportunity to appoint a Supreme Court justice shortly after his inauguration..."
Things that make you go hmm.
posted by pmurray63 at 11:30 AM on October 25, 2004
Things that make you go hmm.
posted by pmurray63 at 11:30 AM on October 25, 2004
Even if Kerry wins, Bush can try to ram through some lame-duck appointments and in doing so make the Dems look bad by forcing them to resort to filibusters.
Imagine if the election is in dispute when this happens? The mind wobbles.
posted by PrinceValium at 11:33 AM on October 25, 2004
Imagine if the election is in dispute when this happens? The mind wobbles.
posted by PrinceValium at 11:33 AM on October 25, 2004
Despite my disagreement with Rehnquist on almost everything, he is a very learned jurist and someone who has worked hard for many years on the Supremes. I am sorry to hear that his illness is getting worse.
PrinceValium, President Kerry isn't going to appoint Gonzales. I think that Souter would be an interesting choice for next CJ.
posted by Sidhedevil at 12:32 PM on October 25, 2004
PrinceValium, President Kerry isn't going to appoint Gonzales. I think that Souter would be an interesting choice for next CJ.
posted by Sidhedevil at 12:32 PM on October 25, 2004
Bush would be the one appointing Gonzales. My bet for a Kerry choice would be Judge Sotomayor of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. But a promotion for Justice Breyer would be pretty sweet as well.
posted by PrinceValium at 7:31 PM on October 25, 2004
posted by PrinceValium at 7:31 PM on October 25, 2004
Politics aside, it would be kind of cool hearing him deliver verdicts through one of those voice box gizmos.
Is it wrong of me to laugh at that?
While we're throwing out potential appointees, I'd love to see Judge Alex Kozinski get a shot at being a Supreme Court Justice.
posted by gyc at 10:02 PM on October 25, 2004
Is it wrong of me to laugh at that?
While we're throwing out potential appointees, I'd love to see Judge Alex Kozinski get a shot at being a Supreme Court Justice.
posted by gyc at 10:02 PM on October 25, 2004
Rehnquist is on record as saying that if Bush won he would retire, but that if he lost he would keep serving until another Republican was in the White House.
What a trooper.
And by that I mean evil storm trooper in the full Star Wars sense of the word.
posted by sic at 1:24 AM on October 26, 2004
What a trooper.
And by that I mean evil storm trooper in the full Star Wars sense of the word.
posted by sic at 1:24 AM on October 26, 2004
sic, I think more like what a dumbass. He coulda retired when dubya was in power, and got in a nice replacement. They say the mind is the second thing to go, I forget what the first is....
posted by Eekacat at 3:28 AM on October 26, 2004
posted by Eekacat at 3:28 AM on October 26, 2004
Could the Bush goverment really appoint a Justice at such a late date? I thought there were rounds and rounds of committee meetings and reviews to pass thru before a position like this can be filled.
posted by Mitheral at 7:32 AM on October 26, 2004
posted by Mitheral at 7:32 AM on October 26, 2004
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* Here's hoping he hangs on until January 20
* Sweet, sweet schadenfreude
/Preemption
posted by pardonyou? at 10:02 AM on October 25, 2004