So I guess Justice Kennedy did not announce his retirement today.

[TNNurse]

[Gothmog]

1. Yeah

[NCTraveler]

2. I didn't know he was going to.

Was some kind of statement issued?

[TNNurse]

3. There were rumors this weekend.

on the networks.

[PoliticAverse]

4. Republicans were fantasizing and some DUers bought the fantasy.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=9253172

[Mr. Ected]

5. Rachel mentioned this on her show on Thursday night

That's the first I'd heard of it.

[NCTraveler]

6. I was out of the loop on the rumor.

I just did some searches. I see the stories but can't figure out how the rumor actually started. I'm cynical to the point I will just say that the networks don't report news, they generate their own news.

[PoliticAverse]

7. Republicans have been pressuring Kennedy to quit for some time.

It's sort of a disinformation/harassment campaign.

[Princess Turandot]

9. This started a few months ago, because of a party...

Almost literally.

Kennedy hosts a reunion party for his former clerks every ten years. His last party was nine years ago, so when he scheduled it for this summer, rather than in 2018, someone decided that the change meant that he was going to retire. The speculation was going on for months on internet blogs, and then moved to cable talking heads in recent weeks.

Kennedy himself had said nothing at all, and the court's public affairs department said that they were not aware of him planning to retire this year. And according to some of his former clerks, they had suggested that the party date be changed to correspond with his turning 80 this summer. He had also hired his incoming clerks throughout the spring for the 2017-2018 term, so I guess some thought he had done so under false premises for them.

[moonscape]

8. Have been out all day, came back terrified to log in and find out. Still ...

not letting my breath out quite yet.