Rehnquist says he's staying at Supreme Court

[irishgrl]

Rehnquist Says He'll Stay on Supreme Court

By RON FOURNIER and GINA HOLLAND, Associated Press Writers

WASHINGTON - Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, denying rumors of his retirement, said Thursday he will continue heading the court as long his health permits. "I'm not about to announce my retirement," he said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press.

"I want to put to rest the speculation and unfounded rumors of my imminent retirement," said Rehnquist, 80, and ailing with thyroid cancer. "I am not about to announce my retirement. I will continue to perform my duties as chief justice as long as my health permits."

Rehnquist released the statement hours after being released from an Arlington, Va., hospital after being treated for two days with a fever.

Rehnquist, who has served 33 years on the court, continued coming to work every day even as rumors swept Washington that he was about to retire. The speculation intensified after Justice
Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement earlier this month, a surprise move that fueled speculation that
President Bush would soon have two vacancies to fill on the nine-person bench.

Rehnquist, who has been through at least one round of chemotherapy and radiation, surprised many people when he presided at Bush's inauguration in January and returned to the bench in March, keeping full a schedule.

But outside of a handful of brief statements issued by the court since October, Rehnquist has said nothing publicly about his condition or prognosis. He had also said nothing about his plans on the bench, despite the vigil kept by reporters and photographers outside his home.

White House officials, who had said they had no idea whether Rehnquist was staying, are now free to focus on filling the single vacancy. There had been intense discussions in the White House about the political complications of pushing two nominations through at once.

Medical experts initially speculated that Rehnquist probably had the deadly anaplastic form of thyroid cancer, based on the chemotherapy-radiation treatment. But now that seems less likely.

"The prognosis for that is so poor. Most patients succumb very quickly, within three to six months," said Dr. Mark Urken, a cancer expert at Beth
Israel Hospital in New York.

It is more likely that Rehnquist has another more treatable type, said Urken and other physicians not involved in his treatment.

Dr. Kenneth Burman, a thyroid specialist at Washington Hospital Center, said other possibilities are papillary thyroid cancer or lymphoma of the thyroid. People with those types can be treated and live for years without more problems.

Rehnquist's latest hospitalization for fever may have been just precautionary, Burman said.

"It's very difficult to tell. It could range from something insignificant, to something indicative of more serious illness," he said.

The White House, congressional leaders and even fellow justices have been on edge awaiting word whether Rehnquist would end his 33-year career on the Supreme Court.

Before Thursday evening, Rehnquist had said nothing in public about his future until last week, when a reporter called out to him outside his house to respond to retirement rumors. "That's for me to know and you to find out," Rehnquist replied.

Erwin Chemerinsky, a Duke University law professor who frequently argues Supreme Court cases, said the response "reminded me of what an elementary kid would say."

"I think it means he's enjoying everybody guessing about what he's doing," Chemerinsky said.

It was impossible for journalists to call out questions to Rehnquist when he left Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington after lunch on Thursday. He had been taken there by ambulance Tuesday night.

Officers escorted him out through a parking garage, while most news crews were kept away on a sidewalk. At his home, Arlington police stood guard in front, while Rehnquist was brought in through a back entrance. The dozens of waiting reporters never got a glimpse of the chief justice.

Rehnquist had also been taken by ambulance to the hospital in March after experiencing breathing problems. He has a trachea tube that helps him breathe.

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I bet the Shrub is wilting right about now

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by irishgrl

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I bet the Shrub is wilting right about now

I'm very happy about this and will continue to pray for his good health.

[golddustwoman77]

All I can say is "Halleluiah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I hope he isn't suffering to remain on the court. His health hasn't been the best. He is going to need some prayers.

[irishgrl]

Im thinking its a huge case of EGO, and once you've been CHIEF Supreme Court Justice, where do you go from there? I think he'll prob wear the robes til he dies.

ON a side note, Sandra O'Connor has been urged to reconsider her retirement as well......wouldnt it be just DELISH if Bush loses BOTH chances to nominate a new justice?

[Hawkeye]

I've always wondered what exactly does the CHEIF justice do that the others dont. Is it just a title or does he actually have more say in things.

[tynan88]

Sooo, is it a good thing that Rehnquist is staying on? Is he a moderate?

[irishgrl]

Originally Posted by tynan88

Sooo, is it a good thing that Rehnquist is staying on? Is he a moderate?

I dont know if I'd characterize him as a moderate, but it makes a HUGE difference whether Bush replaces one or two Justices in terms of the overall tone of future decisions. One Justice leaving is bad enuff but two?

I just wish Sandra Day O'Connor would reconsider staying on, at least for 3 more years...

[tynan88]

Has Bush appointed any of the current members of the Supreme Court?

[irishgrl]

Originally Posted by tynan88

Has Bush appointed any of the current members of the Supreme Court?

No. Thank God.

[tynan88]

Thought as much...althought I find the lifetime appointment thing an extremely volatile power for a president to have...Just from what I know (which isn't much) the court seems to go in quite similar cycles, so a president could in effect appoint several in 8 years couldn't he/she?

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by irishgrl

Im thinking its a huge case of EGO, and once you've been CHIEF Supreme Court Justice, where do you go from there? I think he'll prob wear the robes til he dies.

ON a side note, Sandra O'Connor has been urged to reconsider her retirement as well......wouldnt it be just DELISH if Bush loses BOTH chances to nominate a new justice?

Who's urged her to reconsider? At my MoveOn meeting a woman asked that, "could she come back?, so if she could and does, that would be really great.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

I'm very happy about this and will continue to pray for his good health.

Amen sister.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by tynan88

Has Bush appointed any of the current members of the Supreme Court?

No but his father appointed Justice Souter which has actually worked out pretty well.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by irishgrl

I just wish Sandra Day O'Connor would reconsider staying on, at least for 3 more years...

She can't. Her husband has Alzheimer's.

[irishgrl]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

She can't. Her husband has Alzheimer's.

well, again she said her retirement was conditional on someone being confirmed and as I said in the other O'Connor thread, that might be a bottleneck to accomplish in the current senate atmosphere...