It is! Thanks for pinging me . . . when I heard him speak I was wondering about that but didn't see it. He had to block it somehow to speak, and that was the 'whooshing' sound you heard when he spoke.
What that means to me is that he is very, very, very ill. Those tubes are left in and open like that so he can be put on a ventilator to breathe for him if necessary. (sorry if this was posted; I can't read all these posts!) :-)
Did you see how he left immediately after the oath? It could be that he is on a ventilator and could just be taken off for that very short amount of time, and headed directly back to the hosp. or his home, where he can get the medical care he needs. God bless him!
I got the impression the swearing in is one thing he desparately wanted to do. I have a feeling it will be one of the last things he will do. Thank God we have Pres. Bush to pick someone to fill his vacancy when he does leave the SC.
That explains why the oath seemed to be given more quickly than usual and our thoughtful President was very very quick in his response.
Thanks for the information...I am in awe of his desire to do the ceremony!
So often, seriously ill people are determined to "hang on" for a big event - a birthday, a holiday, the birth of a grandchild - and then they feel their work is done. Somebody brought up Adams and Jefferson, who IIRC both died on the 50th anniversary of July 4 (Adams's dying words were "Jefferson still lives," but he was wrong; he had died a few hours before.)
I hope and pray that Justice Rehnquist is not that seriously ill - he just seemed so alert and happy - but if he is I trust God will grant him a safe lodging, a holy rest, and peace at the last.