Rehnquist to Miss Sixth Week of Work

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON -- Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist will be absent from the Supreme Court on Monday, beginning a sixth week of missed work caused by thyroid cancer.

The 80-year-old has been receiving chemotherapy and radiation treatment at home and plans to skip the two-week cycle of arguments that starts Monday, a court spokesman said Friday. No other information was available.

Details have been kept secret about the seriousness of Rehnquist's cancer, which was announced in a terse statement Oct. 25. Some doctors familiar with thyroid cancer say his treatment suggests a fast-growing cancer.

Although Rehnquist is working from his home in suburban Virginia, the chief justice's absence is fueling intense speculation that he will step down soon and give the court its first opening since 1994.



http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-scotus-rehnquist,0,5571150.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

Gee, don't you long for the days when it was only other countries that hid the medical conditions of the Ruling Class? Sigh. Ah, the nostalgia.

[Ima]

1. Wonder who will replace him?

I know a AG looking for a new job.:puke:

[ooglymoogly]

2. isn't this just too scary

our whole supreme court will be a nazi rubber stamp by 2008.......unless we keep fighting and expose these mfkrs

[lcordero]

3. I wonder if

He is trying to delay until after Jan. 20

[Traction]

14. Why would delaying until after the January 20 matter?

Before or after, Bush is still president.

[Yupster]

4. The Supremes

take this lifetime appointment stuff a little too seriously.

They should routinely resign at a reasonable age, or when they decide they are no longer at a pretty high level of competence.

They act like they are irreplaceable, and they aren't.

[Demeter]

5. IS Anybody REALLY Missing Rehnquist?

I didn't realize it had been 6 weeks...6 peaceful, blessed weeks....

[Ernesto]

6. The man is a chunk of fical matter

He would never have got to SCOTUS if it weren't for tricky dick trying to appoint KKK members to the court according to "the southern strategy". Fortunatly for rehnquist, the KKK didn't exist in Arizona like the in "deep" south. This is the only reason "racist bill" was confirmed to the "big bench" Classic example of "history making the man".
Not even his own high school
would allow him speak @ their graduation last spring.

[Traction]

15. As bad as he is

there are two that are worse on the SC.

[rug]

7. irony

He's been a cancer on the court for 30 years.

[Ernesto]

8. Hi rug

You rock & welcome here, you devil, you!

[drm604]

9. What happens if The SC has to make a recount ruling for Ohio or Florida

and Rehnquist isn't able to participate in that ruling? If they split 4 to 4 what happens? Does the ruling of the next lower court then stand? If it moves straight from a state SC to the federal SC and they have a split decision, would the state SC then have the last say? IIRC, in 2000 Florida's court supported a full recount. Maybe someone should be fighting for a full manual recount of Florida.

[ArthurDent]

10. Tie goes to the lower court n/t

[Mirwib]

11. I find it hard to believe that he isn't seriously considering retirement

[Hand]

12. SIX WEEKS? Who's he think he is...

...the president?????

:evilgrin:

[Steely_Dan]

13. I hope he has enough sick leave