SCOTUS Daily Recap
By Erick Posted in The Courts — Comments (30) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
First, this story is draining and I'm burning out.
Second, I have every reason to believe both Robert Novak and Matt Drudge are correct, though I still suspect the Chief Justice could wait until Monday.
Third, I am reliably informed that certain Senate staffers have been told that the next few weeks stand to be very historic.
Fourth, I am reliably informed that the John Paul Stevens rumor that all of a sudden got stirred up today is both completely and totally unexpected as of even the first of this week and also accurate. I cannot get my hands around the cause, but several have hinted that Justice Stevens's health is not good. One said it is believed that Justice Stevens's health has suddenly begun to deteriorate. The cause is speculation, but this bolt out of the blue does appear to have some substance behind it.
Update [2005-7-8 16:29:33 by Erick]:A reliable third party source just called to say that "it is done." William Rehnquist has retired from the United States Supreme Court.
I feel like we need that Rumsfeld quote back. Could it be that Novak is playing a dirty joke on all of us? I'm tired of waiting. Get on with it. If not, the Chief should send us all home. Retire already! My gut tells me it is BS. My IM's, emails, and phone calls all say he is retiring and Novak is right.
Update [2005-7-8 17:4:24 by Erick]: A second third party source tells me that Rehnquist has resigned. Unfortunately, my White House sources are MIA, which does indicate to me that something is going on. This source is adamanat saying "It is a done deal."
My gut still says SCOTUSBlog is right, nothing will happen. Everyone else says Rehnquist has already retired. Could this be a cannabalistic feeding frenzy -- everyone feeding off each other while the Chief Justice and Robert Novak laugh?
Update [2005-7-8 17:20:42 by Erick]: William Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the United States, has retired. A White House statement is forthcoming. Should caveat this: A very good source says this.
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I am of the opinion that this is all very funny.
He is fighting mother nature and the mortality tables. It was only a matter of time. I think he wants to get out now so he can enjoy what little time he has left with his family.
I am laughing too. My gut tells me that this is all BS. My IMs, emails, and phone calls are telling me he is retiring.
If bush is going to be able to name his replacement- stepping down now will mean his replacement is as moderate as they will ever get. He waits until a later time or just keels over and there is only one replacement Bush will be in position to name someone much more conservative. If there really were 3 vacancies the horsetrading would mean that at least one would be a true moderate.
... you beat everyone to this story.
I just want it to be over with so we can move on.
Fox News says he is flying by copter to NW DC to the British Embassay and from there who knows...
Did they take down the message from Lederman that Reinquist would not retire today?
Just said that a reporter asked the Chief flat-out about the speculation.
Answer after the break (damn commercials!)
Tom Goldstein had posted a second message seconding Lederman, too. That's also been deleted.
I just want someone to retire today. I don't care who anymore.
"For me to know and you to find out."
Seriously; I'm not kidding -- that's what he said to the reporter!
5:15p - He's still at the Embassy. Any announcement probably won't come until he returns to the White House.
And I have to head out to MD! Argh! News blackout descending on me.
... now that you scooped the world on Rehnquist - go find out who the 2 nominees will be!
I would think that if GW has two appointments to make he would not announce them at the same time. This puts the Dems in a very interesting strategic position for the first nomination. Do you fillibuster and risk having to fillibuster 2? Or do you try to save it for possibly a more conservative nomination? Makes me think that the first name will be the more conservative of the two.
Does this mean that the pilot of Air Force One is referred to as POTUS Pilot?
Erick, good man. I was doubting you there for awhile, My apologies.
It's good that he is retiring today so he can grab a little bit of the news cycle headlines. I'm afraid that Hurricane Dennis is going to start sucking up alot of the media oxygen by Sunday. The storm looks deadly and huge. Look out Florida and Alabama
But you have established a precedent that we will all be relying on in the coming months as more Justices retire and more names surface to fill the historic plethora of vacancies on the U.S. Supreme Court.
As to Scotus Blog, didn't they tell us that if no Justices resigned on the day after the term was over that it meant all were planning to return for the next term? RIP.
At 4 pm ET Drudge's banner read, "BUSH GETS TWO: REPORT: REHNQUIST RETIRES; TO BE ANNOUNCED TONIGHT"
At 5 pm Drudge's banner read, "BUSH GETS TWO: REPORT: REHNQUIST RETIRES; WHITE HOUSE PLANS ANNOUNCEMENT"
As of 5:35 pm Drudge's banner reads, "REPORT: REHNQUIST TO RETIRE"
Hmmmm.
but Bush won't make the 3rd and most critical pick a moderate. 4th, yes (RBG), but 3rd, no.
When that response is used by a 12 year old (as it typically is), it usually means that there really is a secret to be kept. My hunch would be that if he were not stepping down, the response would have been more along the lines of, "Of course not," or" That's ridiculous!"
Mr. Renquist looked and sounded quite old and feeble.
Will anounce Sunday as I am hearing ( a source extememly close to Rehnquist, but could be later). Great call all the same.
Medical testing and treatment will force the retirement. I want to take this moment to thank Renhquist for what he does.
I think you and the others are missing something here. Rehnquist will be the last to retire for a myriad of reasons. I think he is holding off for Stevens to decide. But it is clear he will be the last this cycle.
http://strata-sphere.com/blog/index.php/archives/247
Cheers.
so far as i can tell, ms. miers bears no qualifications beyond the patronage of the president. whatever you may believe, we need strong minds, not yes-men (or women) to guide the supreme court. someone willing to rubberstamp anything from the white house is not what a justice should be. they should be unwilling to agree with a president if the policy presented is deemed to be in conflict with the constitution. that document is the only safeguard of liberty left today, not jingoism. it is very important that the next justice be a very learned scholar of law, not someone who has attached themselves to another's star. witness the success of 'brownie' in FEMA for a recent example of the success of croneyism and patronage.
maybe I'm dense, but could you explain it?