Americans should know more about chief justice

[Judi Lynn]

Monday, February 28, 2005 • Twin Falls, Idaho


EDITORIALS
Americans should know more about chief justice
Chicago Tribune


Ever since Chief Justice William Rehnquist had surgery last October in connection with his thyroid cancer, court-watchers and the public have been involved in a guessing game: How serious is his condition? How will his treatment affect his ability to do his job? Is he expected to live long enough to finish the current term, which ends in June?

Medicine is not a perfectly predictable science. But in this instance, it's not the doctors who are to blame for the uncertainty. The problem lies with a lawyer -- namely Rehnquist himself, who has put his privacy above the public's need to know useful facts about public business.

All the Supreme Court press office revealed in October was that the 80-year-old chief justice had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had undergone a tracheotomy. Medical experts deduced from his treatment that he had the most virulent and deadly form of the disease, one that is usually fatal in six to 12 months.

His condition forced him to miss oral arguments in a number of cases last year. Many people were surprised that Rehnquist, in his first public appearance since the operation, managed to attend the presidential inauguration to administer the oath of office to George W. Bush.
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http://www.magicvalley.com/news/editorials/index.asp?StoryID=1862

[sjgman9]

1. The parallels between the Chief and the Pope are there

God, please take your servant to the next world soon. Its hard watching JPII suffer this much.

I hope Chief Justice Rehnquist steps down. I dont mind if he gets replaced with a conservative: the balance of the court doesnt change. If John Paul Stevens gets replaced with a right-winger, its war!