U.S. Chief Justice Rehnquist dead at 80 (Kennedy demands that Roberts hearing being postponed)

Reuters ^ | 9/4

[Uncle Joe Cannon]

-snip-

HIGH COURT SUCCESSOR

Rehnquist's death raised the possibility the hearings on Roberts' nomination could be postponed and gave Bush the opportunity of nominating Roberts as chief justice, a possibility administration officials have talked about in the event Rehnquist died.

Sen. Edward Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), a Massachusetts Democrat, said the consideration of successors to Rehnquist and O'Connor should be held off to allow the Bush administration and Congress to focus on the Katrina disaster.

"We should proceed carefully and appropriately in filling these important vacancies. With Justice O'Connor committing to stay until her replacement is named, we can and should remain focused first on protecting our citizens who need help the most," Kennedy said.

Frist said he would discuss with Senate Judiciary Committee leaders whether the Roberts' hearings should be postponed due to the death of Rehnquist.

To fill a second opening on the court, Bush could return to the list of candidates he considered before nominating Roberts to replace O'Connor.

Among the possible candidates are U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and appeals court Judge J. Michael Luttig. Bush could also elevate a current member of the court such as Justice Antonin Scalia or Justice Clarence Thomas.

[Beagle8U]

"Who the cheif justice is is of little importance. It's primarily a figurehead position."

All the more reason to move Thomas to CJ. Nominate J. R. Brown to replace him, and push Roberts through.

That would make it harder for the demonrats to spew the "Bush hates blacks" crap we are now hearing.

[Don Carlos]

Here's my outside the box thinking. Pres. Bush could nominate one of the current lib justices, say Stevens, to the CJ job. The libs would gain the prestige of their guy being CJ but little more. Dubya would then be free to nominate a conservative to fill Stevens seat. It would be hard for the Dems to complain too loudly without looking foolish.

My reasoning? The chief justice's influence is limited so long as the majority on the court are conservative. Plus, this move would inoculate Bush against much of the Rats trash talk. We get two fresh conservative justices, the dems get the prize of the CJ seat. Now we can look forward to Ginzberg announcing her retirement!

[Grand Old Partisan]

Rehnquist was a junior justice.

[antiRepublicrat]

I guess Pat Robertson's prayer for the death of another human being was answered..

[jwpjr]

You know, now that I think about it I think you're right! I sat here for a couple of minutes trying to think of some examples to give you and darned if I haven't come up bone dry! I think I am confusing a bunch of situations where the outcome is not yet known, and he appears to be losing the battle, with those like the UN appointment where he has prevailed after all.

Thank you for the much needed fresh perspective!

[Captain Culpepper]

My views exactly.

RIP Chief Rehnquist.

[Brian Allen]

<< Teddy should get a real job. >>

Teddy shoulda gotten twenty years when he killed Mary Joe Kopechne.

And right now, given that he is demanding John Roberts
and the Federal Government's lawyer-client confidentiality be surrendered to his and the other "Democrats'" intended premeditated pack raping of President Bush's Supreme Court nominee, he aught work at surrendering his own in the Kopechne Homicide.

[silverleaf]

"We should proceed carefully and appropriately in filling these important vacancies. With Justice O'Connor committing to stay until her replacement is named, we can and should remain focused first on protecting our citizens who need help the most," Kennedy said.

Justice OConnor has a terminally ill husband. It is terribly stupid to say she should stay until the Senate rebuilds New Orleans.

So we had a major hurricane affecting one region of the country. The Senate should be capable of multi-tasking by handling one crisis and its normal job of advise and consent on judicial nominees....we normal people do not consider voting on John Robert's nomination require full time crisis managment. The Senate demands and expects no less than handling multiple tasks and jobs from every other branch of Government.

The citizens who need help most are the entire population of the US facing a Supreme Court with two vacancies

[Larry Lucido]

Thanks, didn't realize that.

[SunStar]

Sen. Edward Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), a Massachusetts Democrat, said the consideration of successors to Rehnquist and O'Connor should be held off to allow the Bush administration and Congress to focus on the Katrina disaster.

NIce try. Bush's job was to nominate, and he has done so. You and the other Senators can sit in Washington and focus on confirming Roberts whils Bush is taking care of the Katrina disaster.

[SunStar]

do you refer to her friendship with Landrieu as a bad thing or a good thing?

Maybe because Landrieu just threatened to "punch" President Bush?

[SunStar]

Most Chief Justices were brought on as such, as was Rehnquist.

Nope. Rehnquist was appointed by Nixon and later elevated to Chief Justice by Reagan.

[JohnBDay]

Postposed? If anything they should be speed up so we can avoid a 7-member court.

[churchillbuff]

Oran Hatch is nominated Chief Justice"""

I can't say anything bad about Oran Hatch -- but I hope to God that Bush doesn't nominate Orin Hatch from Utah, a real disaster and phony conservative.

[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

Drunken slob Manslaughter Kennedy does not want to work overtime.

We have honorable Natioanl Guard troops working 20 hour days (I'm sure some without sleep at all) and this fat, lazy, RAT murderer is afraid he may have to stay up late and miss happy hour at the bars because of a heavy load in the Senate.

Senator Frist is in New Orleans acting as a doctor and this POS can't get off his stinking ass and get to the Senate for the nation's business.

[ChicagoHebrew]

Not the first Hispanic. That was Ben Cardozo.

[rawhide]

Does a current Supreme Court justice have to be approved to become the chief justice, by the Senate?

[Clintonfatigued]

It's either Antonin Scalia being promoted to Chief Justice and Michael Luttig succeeding Scalia as Associate Justice, or Michael Luttig being nominated for Chief Justice from the Appeals Court he sits on.

[deport]

Does a current Supreme Court justice have to be approved to become the chief justice, by the Senate?

---

Yes

[AlGone2001]

"Nope. Rehnquist was appointed by Nixon and later elevated to Chief Justice by Reagan."

I already had that corrected....thanks.

Still, he was the exception to the rule, as most chiefs are brought on in that capacity.

It makes me think that either Roberts will be brought on as chief or whoever gets the new vacancy.