Breaking on CNN and Fox News.

Wow.

God rest his soul.

I'm sorry for people who cared about him, but politically I can't say I'm too upset.

This probably wasn't what Pat Robertson wanted when he was praying for Supreme Court Vacancies

And this is not just any vacancy... now a need chief justice has to be decided on

This may sound like a stupid question, but do they appoint the Chief from someone already on the court?

This may sound like a stupid question, but do they appoint the Chief from someone already on the court?


Bush can, but he doesn't have to.

He could nominate somebody like J. Michael Luttig and instantly put him on as chief justice.  He'd go through two confirmation votes though, one to be on the supreme court and one to become chief justice.

The smart money is on Scalia.

Thanks, GWB. :)

The smart money is on Scalia.


That's what I thought, and it's not a happy one.

I agree with Ethan on all counts. 
When Bush gets Roberts and the next nutjob on the Court, the rights and privileges we all feel entitled to as Americans will start to evaporate!

That's a shame.  RIP.


I dont think Scalia will be named as Chief Justice (or if Bush does name him, I highly highly doubt he will get past the senate).  My moneys on whoever Bush's new nominee is going to be, to also be the new Chief Justice.  Scalia is too much of a divider to be the Chief Justice.  The court needs a uniter.  I dont really think there's anyone on the court currently that could fill that position. 

Chief Justice Rehnquist Dies of Cancer

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist died Saturday evening of cancer, ending a 33-year Supreme Court career during which he oversaw the court's conservative shift, presided over an impeachment trial and helped decide a presidential election. His death creates a rare second vacancy on the nation's highest court.

Rehnquist, 80, was surrounded by his three children when he died at his home in suburban Arlington. His wife died in 1991.

''The Chief Justice battled thyroid cancer since being diagnosed last October and continued to perform his duties on the court until a precipitous decline in his health the last couple of days,'' said court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg.

Full story

I dont think Scalia will be named as Chief Justice (or if Bush does name him, I highly highly doubt he will get past the senate).  My moneys on whoever Bush's new nominee is going to be, to also be the new Chief Justice.  Scalia is too much of a divider to be the Chief Justice.  The court needs a uniter.  I dont really think there's anyone on the court currently that could fill that position. 


I agree.  I should rephrase what I wrote earlier.

If it's going to be someone currently on the court, the smart money is Scalia.  But my guess is president Bush will nominate somebody to replace Rehnquist and immediatly nominate that person for chief justice.

I agree.  I should rephrase what I wrote earlier.

If it's going to be someone currently on the court, the smart money is Rehnquist. 



???  You must be a bit tired.  Get back to us on this

Is it at all possible for you to give it like five grace days to let the man rest in peace, no matter how weird and offensive his political ideology had been?  Jesus tap dancing Christ.

Rice Cube, no. I don't believe someone is somehow holy in the afterlife just because they bit the big one. His dieing doesn't change the fact that he was a horrible, horrible man.

Ding dong the witch is dead, I say!

And with the bad position he is in, this is the worst time for this to happen to Bush. Theres no way he'll be able to replace him with someone equally nutty.

Rice Cube, no. I don't believe someone is somehow holy in the afterlife just because they bit the big one. His dieing doesn't change the fact that he was a horrible, horrible man.

Ding dong the witch is dead, I say!

And with the bad position he is in, this is the worst time for this to happen to Bush. Theres no way he'll be able to replace him with someone equally nutty.

Bravo Mr. Alex!  I agree with you entirely...except for the last sentence.  Both Scalia and Thomas are bigger far-right cranks than Rehnquist, and Bush is interested only in "strict construcionist" (aka white supremicist) nominees.  This next court is going to be a nightmare for anyone interested in civil rights.
Oh, here's a little reminder of just what kind of a Chief Justice we had during Bush v. Gore:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/04/07/0247252

I suppose I could wax philosophical about Rehnquist as a human being and how we're all equal in the eyes of God, but what for?  We weren't all equal in the eyes of Rehnquist, that's for sure!

Rice Cube, no. I don't believe someone is somehow holy in the afterlife just because they bit the big one. His dieing doesn't change the fact that he was a horrible, horrible man.

Ding dong the witch is dead, I say!



You're making yourself look like a horrible man.  How can you be cheerful about somebodys' death just because you didn't like their political views?

My guess is if this was a thread about some serial killer in Texas being given the death penalty, you'd probably be in here saying gems like: "how horrible," "he didn't deserve to die," "he shouldn't have been killed" and "the death penalty is a bad thing."

After a young conservative replaces Rehnquist (and likely stays on for a decade of two,) I'll be sure to bump this thread.  Moderate-conservative (Roberts) for O'Conner's seat and a solid conservative like maybe Garza or Luttig for Rehnquist's seat.  Even the democrat think-tanks seem to be saying this morning that it will be nearly impossible for the democrats to stop a conservative from replacing a conservative since it won't change the current make-up of the court.  It would be different if it was Stevens or Ginsburg, but it's not.

And this is from the man who said he wouldn't be upset if someon assassinated Chavez or Castro

And this is from the man who said he wouldn't be upset if someon assassinated Chavez or Castro


You're comparing Castro and H. Chavez to Rehnquist?

And this is from the man who said he wouldn't be upset if someon assassinated Chavez or Castro

Yeah, but they're pinko commie rats who deserve to die!, as Ann Coulter said in defense of Rat Pobertson.

You're making yourself look like a horrible man.  How can you be cheerful about somebodys' death just because you didn't like their political views?

My guess is if this was a thread about some serial killer in Texas being given the death penalty, you'd probably be in here saying gems like: "how horrible," "he didn't deserve to die," "he shouldn't have been killed," and "the death penalty is a bad thing."

After a young conservative replaces Rehnquist (and likely stays on for a decade of two,) I'll be sure to bump this thread.  Moderate-conservative (Roberts) for O'Conner's seat and a solid conservative like maybe Garza or Luttig for Rehnquist's seat.  Even the democrat think-tanks seem to be saying this morning that it will be nearly impossible for the democrats to stop a conservative from replacing a conservative since it won't change the current make-up of the court.  It would be different if it was Stevens or Ginsburg, but it's not.

I can't speak for Ethan, but I don't support the death penalty at all, not evan for Supreme Court justices!
And Roberts is no moderate.  Under the countenance of a reasonable man, he's another bloodthirsty reactionary who'd like nothing more than to turn the social clock back to 1950.  "Moderate" my sweet azz!

Wanting to turn the clock back to 1950 makes someone a moderate these days, conservatives want to turn it back to 1850. Maybe not quite, but sometimes it seems that way.

I'm completely against the death penalty, wars, and any sort of termination of post-born human life. If someone had murdered Rehnquist, then i would have supported putting the killer behind bars. But that doesn't mean I should be upset about him leaving the court and the world from natural causes.

The lastest I heard is that Dubya is nominating Roberts for Chief Justice.




Cat

Rice Cube, no. I don't believe someone is somehow holy in the afterlife just because they bit the big one. His dieing doesn't change the fact that he was a horrible, horrible man.

Ding dong the witch is dead, I say!

And with the bad position he is in, this is the worst time for this to happen to Bush. Theres no way he'll be able to replace him with someone equally nutty.


Another poster was talking about how you seem to be comparing Rehnquist to, say, Hitler or Pol Pot.  I believe that there is some factor of moral inequivalency there. 

This also happened when Strom Thurmond died.  I don't claim to know Thurmond or Rehnquist particularly well, but I don't think they fall under the same category of "evil" as Hitler or Kim Jong-Il and deserve at least a couple of days of respectful silence.  I know you are already scrambling for replacement choices and political ramifications, but I just feel you should keep it to yourselves for the time being.  That is all.

An analogy would be saying, "Hey, that kid Alex 2005 just died.  What a whiny little boob.  I'm glad he's dead."  Not that you're a whiny little boob, but how do you think that would make you, your family and friends, etc. feel?  Give it a few days, then I don't give a hoot if you rip Rehnquist to shreds and take a dump on his grave.  You'd probably go to Hell, but at least you gave him the moment of silence that I believe everyone deserves.

Speaking about "Ding dong the witch is dead" (a sentiment to which I do not subscribe here), I thought I would bring a bit of levity to the board.

A couple of years ago, an executive who was the CEO of a rival company in my industry was unceremoniously fired.  This guy was a tyrant and everybody (unions, his own management, customers, government, competitors) wanted to see him get his.

Anyway, upon hearing of the news. I made a post at the Yahoo! boards entitled "Ding, Dong the witch is dead"

One major newspaper and a national periodical picked up the post and one of the articles compared the outing of the exec to the "Wizard of Oz".  One writer commented "reports of flying monkeys may not be exaggerated in the town".  ;D

'Twas so cool.  8)

A Tribute to Rehnquist from other Justices

Now, think about it...if the other Justices, some of whom are probably so politically opposite to Rehnquist as possible, can give such positive tributes, why can't you?  I'm not putting the guy on a pedestal, but he deserves better than what I've seen in this thread thus far.

If, say, Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton died, I would still say to wait an appropriate amount of time before verbally bodyslamming them.

A Tribute to Rehnquist from other Justices

Now, think about it...if the other Justices, some of whom are probably so politically opposite to Rehnquist as possible, can give such positive tributes, why can't you?  I'm not putting the guy on a pedestal, but he deserves better than what I've seen in this thread thus far.

If, say, Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton died, I would still say to wait an appropriate amount of time before verbally bodyslamming them.

I was speaking of Rehnquist as one of the most powerful men in the country, not as man among friends, family, and colleagues.  I did not know him as such.  It is not so much that I disagreed with his politics.  If, say, George Will died, I wouldn't say "good riddance" because George Will does not make public policy.  As Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Rehnquist had his hands on the levers of power.  Therefore, I am relieved he is gone.  Rehnquist made it clear only death would remove him from the bench, and so death did the job.  I'm not going to pretend to feel sad about it.
I regretted expressing phony condolences to Ronald Reagan last year.  Reagan had been out of political power since 1989, but his toxic legacy still sickens America.  Reagan was only Satan in a comely mask. 
Men like Reagan and Rehnquist never intended to do right by the working class.  Clinton and Carter did but they failed for the most part.  If either man was to die, I would not scold you for failing to eulogise.

You don't understand.  I don't want you to pretend to like him or anything, I just believe that you should wait an appropriate amount of time after his death wherein you either say nothing or say something nice.  What this thread amounts to is spitting in his grave at the wake.

I don't really like the guy either, but you don't see me talking smack now, do you?

An analogy would be saying, "Hey, that kid Alex 2005 just died. What a whiny little boob. I'm glad he's dead." Not that you're a whiny little boob, but how do you think that would make you, your family and friends, etc. feel? Give it a few days, then I don't give a hoot if you rip Rehnquist to shreds and take a dump on his grave. You'd probably go to Hell, but at least you gave him the moment of silence that I believe everyone deserves.


Thats completely ridiculous. ;D Don't eat that Elmer, that came off the stable floor!

First, I am not a public figure/official. Trying to compare someone like me dieing to Rehnquist is like comparing apples and oranges.

Second, what do you mean how would I feel in that situation? I wouldn't feel anything. I'd be dead(remember? I mean it was YOUR hypothesis)! And if I was dead, I don't think any of my relatives being offended by post-humous criticism of me would concern me much. Now to them, I'd be St.Alex as soon as I bit it. But I know I have my faults, and there is likely that someone will criticise me when I kick the bucket. Big deal. That seems like a very petty thing to get concerned about. I think the important point in the situation will be the fact that my loveones have lost me; not what some people thought of my life.

Thats completely ridiculous. ;D Don't eat that Elmer, that came off the stable floor!

First, I am not a public figure/official. Trying to compare someone like me dieing to Rehnquist is like comparing apples and oranges.

Second, what do you mean how would I feel in that situation? I wouldn't feel anything. I'd be dead(remember? I mean it was YOUR hypothesis)! And if I was dead, I don't think any of my relatives being offended by post-humous criticism of me would concern me much. Now to them, I'd be St.Alex as soon as I bit it. But I know I have my faults, and there is likely that someone will criticise me when I kick the bucket. Big deal. That seems like a very petty thing to get concerned about. I think the important point in the situation will be the fact that my loveones have lost me; not what some people thought of my life.



He may have been nice to his kids and his dog, but he wasn't nice to America, as far as I'm concerned.  I don't owe Rehnquist a grieving period.

He may have been nice to his kids and his dog, but he wasn't nice to America, as far as I'm concerned.  I don't owe Rehnquist a grieving period.


Derek Jackson had an editorial on Rehnquist today.  Some interesting highlights.

Rehnquist on desegregation: "unwanted customer and the disliked proprietor...glowering at one another
across the counter.  It is, I believe, impossible to justify the sacrifice of even a portion of our historic individual freedom for a purpose such as this"
He owned 2 homes in Phoenix and Vermont, both had covenants restricting sale to people of color and Jews.
He believed Plessy v. Ferguson "was right and should be affirmed"
Dig him up, I know how to operate a backhoe, I'll dig a deeper hole.