Rehnquist hints he'll trade robe for slippers

[peterh]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/story/171835p-149757c.html

Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist has given the race for President a new dimension by hinting in a TV interview he's thinking of hanging up his robe.

The 79-year-old justice dropped his election-year shocker in an interview to be aired on NBC's "Today" show tomorrow.

"Well, at age 79, you can't help but think about retirement," said Rehnquist, who turns 80 right before the November general election.

But Rehnquist, nominated to the top court by President Richard Nixon and elevated to chief justice by President Ronald Reagan, said he has not set a retirement date.




If Kerry should win in Nov., I’m sure the conservatives would lobby hard for him to stay put…..but if he did choose to hang it up, not only would it be great to get a Kerry nominee in there (I foresee a big, big Senate fight), but it would tickle me to no end to see Scalia lose out on the opportunity to move up to (largely ceremonious) the Chief Justice post….which he deeply covets….

[dave29]

1. Keep eyes open for Scalia/Kerry Pheasant hunt trip

then we know the deal is done

[Octafish]

10. Do you think Kerry is BFEE?

I don't. In fact, his whole career he's fought the BFEE.

[dave29]

11. actually no I don't

I was making a joke :)

[aquart]

2. Does Rehnquist like or loathe Scalia?

Because it all really depends on that.

Anybody think Scalia could get confirmed as chief with his duck-hunting habits?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

3. Isn't the CJ determined by the Supreme Court members?

Don't think there's outside involvement.

[mobuto]

5. Nope.

The Chief Justice is appointed by the President with the Advise and Consent of the Seante.

[mobuto]

4. Its a lose-lose situation

If he thinks Bush will lose, he'll have to resign well before the election, to give the President a chance to ram his replacement through the Senate. That makes it an election-year topic, and that's not a winning proposition for Bush. Election-year Supreme Court nominees just don't do well. Look at what happened when Earl Warren resigned in 1968 - all hell broke lose and LBJ was unable to get a nominee through before Nixon took over.

Of course if he waits until after the election, and Kerry's elected, well then he's also screwed.

[snippy]

22. Rehnquist may be trying to motivate the base.

I think it is possible that he would see announcing his retirement this summer as a way to motivate the Reich wing fundamentalist portion of the base of the republican party. I would not be surprised if he retired this summer and then Bush made a recess appointment this fall putting him back on the Court until his replacement was confirmed. I think this is possible because it would be an extremely sleazy and possibly illegal thing to do and thus very republican.

[private_ryan]

6. let's only focus on getting Kerry in

even if he wants to stay, mother nature might rain in his parade. That's at least one win on our side. O'Connor is a nother half and we get keep Stevens' seat.

[mobuto]

7. Ginsburg

has had cancer, so you never know with her either. This all depends on whether Kerry can get elected.

[mopinko]

8. i think it is interesting

that there has not been a retirement already. it makes me wonder about the internal dynamics of the court.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

13. Almost threw a thread out there about this.

Why haven't any Justices retired? Particularly O'Connor?

Guilt?
Agenda?

It's been a decade. :shrug:

[bemildred]

15. I think it was too contentious after the "selection".

They were betting on a second term where he got
in "normally", then they could do what they want.
If they tried to mickey the deal now they would be
filibustered and the public outcry would be angry.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

17. Agree. They know their "legacy" has been soiled.

They, believe it or not, have consciousness of their guilt.

[qb]

19. I have been savoring their unease...

Rehnquist and O'Conner have wanted to retire since before 2000, but they chose to trump the system and in effect choose their successors by appointing a Republican president. Had Bush won without Supreme Court intervention, I bet they'd both be out of there by now. However, there is the little problem of their legacy. They don't want to be remembered for illegally appointing the worst president of all time. I can just imagine their discomfort at staying in 4 years longer than they wanted and now facing the prospect of retiring under President Kerry.

Ha Ha! That's what you get for screwing the American people!

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

20. They did more than that. They f^&*ed the whole world.

[SOS]

9. Will he spend his twilight years

gluing gold stripes on his slippers?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

12. Or wearing a white hood, just for kicks.

[comsymp]

14. Polishing his collection of Brass Knuckles

and reminescing about the good old days working the polls...

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

16. Ahh, yes the good ol' days.

When men where men and blacks could be kept from voting. Wait a minute.....

[mopinko]

18. good one

:kick:

[tinymontgomery]

21. But I wonder

But I wonder, could this hint be dropped so * can mobilize the base more (since it doesn't seem to be supporting him now). You know the big claim of if I don't win those big bad liberials will chose the next supreme and take away all your religion, kill your unborn, take your guns and put gay folks in your homes!