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Novak: Rehnquist to Retire This Week

By Jeralyn, Section Judiciary
Posted on Thu Jul 07, 2005 at 09:02:56 AM EST
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Robert Novak's new column says Chief Justice William Rehnquist will announce his retirement before the end of this week.

Bush is a stubborn man, who sounded like he might really nominate Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in the face of deep and broad opposition from the president's own political base.

Adding to the tension is word from court sources that ailing Chief Justice William Rehnquist also will announce his retirement before the week is over. That would enable Bush to play this game: Name one justice no less conservative than Rehnquist, and name Gonzales, whose past record suggests he would replicate retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on abortion and possibly other social issues. Thus, the present ideological orientation of the court would be unchanged, which would suit the left just fine.

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    • Novak: Rehnquist to Retire This Week | 10 comments (10 topical)
    Re: Novak: Rehnquist to Retire This Week (none / 0) (#1)
    by glanton on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:56 PM EST
    I wonder if Roy Moore is on the short list.

    Re: Novak: Rehnquist to Retire This Week (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:56 PM EST
    EEEEEK!

    Re: Novak: Rehnquist to Retire This Week (none / 0) (#3)
    by Al on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:57 PM EST
    Frankly, I think this meme that Gonzales is unacceptable to the extreme right is just a ploy to make him look like he's not an extremist, and make him more acceptable to the mainstream. Remember, this is the guy who thinks the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners are "quaint". Novak is articulating this precisely: With two positions to fill, the extreme right would get one, and the "left" would be happy with the "compromise candidate"...Gonzales.

    Re: Novak: Rehnquist to Retire This Week (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:57 PM EST
    You guys are kidding yourselves - Bush will nominate who (whom?) he pleases. And they'll be confirmed. You could lose a lot of money betting against GWB. -C

    Re: Novak: Rehnquist to Retire This Week (none / 0) (#5)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:57 PM EST
    Cliff, Give me one thing, Cliff, that Bush has been successful at. One thing that has made our country safer, more economically sound, more peaceful, more imaginative. You coulda said the same thing about Clinton. Sometimes I wonder if you cats even THINK before you write.

    Re: Novak: Rehnquist to Retire This Week (none / 0) (#6)
    by glanton on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:57 PM EST
    Gee, Cliff, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. Where is it that posters to this site are predicting a loss for GWB in the area of Supreme Court nomination. For that matter, the overwhelming majority of posters tend to presuppose a Bush victory on everything else. The question is not, does he or will he win? The question is rather, what does it really say about this country that he does win so regularly?

    Re: Novak: Rehnquist to Retire This Week (none / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:57 PM EST
    what does it really say about this country
    It tells me this country is past its prime, and beginning a long slow decline, mostly due to apathy and ignorance.

    Re: Novak: Rehnquist to Retire This Week (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:58 PM EST
    Personally, I think it's time to rethink lifetime appointments. Sure, sure, I know they were instituted to make sure that no Supreme Court Justice would suffer from partisanism, but come on, has that really worked at all? Look at Scalia...if that isn't the most partisan Judge in the country, I don't know who is. People are going to gravitate towards their chosen ideological base no matter how many meaty bones you throw at them. I say make SCOTUS terms the same as Presidential, and make them voter's choice using instant runoff voting.

    Re: Novak: Rehnquist to Retire This Week (none / 0) (#9)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:58 PM EST
    I thought voting would be the best way too, but then you open up judges to all the temptations of special interest's campaign contributions buying favors. That's too scary. To put judges in the pockets of special interests would be a catastrophe for our democracy.

    Re: Novak: Rehnquist to Retire This Week (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:59 PM EST
    I expect it's true--Novak carries water for this administration, they give him scoops.

    Novak: Rehnquist to Retire This Week | 10 comments (10 topical)