Rehnquist is expected to resign Monday

[ananda]

This was on the NBC nightly news. The WH will be ready with a nominee.

OUUCCH!

Sue

[Connie_Corleone]

1. I guess the rumor on Dembloggers was true.

Get ready to rumble!

[cdb]

2. we are in deep, deep trouble. n/t

[xray s]

6. why?

Trading one right-wing extremist for another? Big deal.

Now, when a moderate judge retires...that's when the real battle begins.

[Catch22Dem]

9. You're right

I've been saying the same thing.

[DemBeans]

16. nutter in, nutter out

This one won't precipitate a huge fight. They'll only be swapping whack jobs.

I have no doubt, though, that our Great Uniter will nominate Scalie out of spite to just piss us off.

[Divernan]

17. Bush will add another right-wing extremist.

You have overlooked the fact that if Bush elevates Scalia to Chief Justice to replace Rehnquist, there will be only 8 justices on the court, so Bush gets to appoint a 9th. There have been many 5-4 split decisions. Rehnquist, Scalia and Thomas nearly always hang together. They have to modify their positions enough to get two other justices to vote with them. With another ultra-conservative justice, there will be four of them hanging together instead of three, and they will only need one other vote from (probably) O'Connor or Kennedy.

So this IS the big battle - not so much keeping Scalia out of the chief justice's seat, but blocking/filibustering the new appointee.

[SoCalDem]

3. no surprise there

Say hello to Chief Justice Scalia. I wonder if he will add a stripe to the sleeves:)

or maybe the "all seeing eye" of the illuminati


or this from opus dei




those robes have lots of space for doo dads:)

[thinkingwoman]

4. if he's the only one

this year, it's survivable. The worst that Bush can do is replace a right wing wacko with a right wing wacko...the balance of the court will remain the same.

[dogday]

5. Oh Fudge--You Know What That Means

[Career Prole]

12. Sure!

[iwantmycountryback]

7. Does it even matter that much who the Chief Justice is?

His vote still only counts for 1. I'm not saying I want that fool Scalia to be the C.J., but if by the slim chance Bush would be willing to nominate a moderate/liberal to replace Scalia as an associate justice as long as we allow him to be the chief justice, it'd be worth it. Of course that's probably just a fantasy.

[Taverner]

14. Yep - definitely a fantasy - Bush will nominate a Wacko

And push for Scalia for CJ.

I have no fucking clue how Dems think they can negotiate with monsters. The only time Bush ever even slightly backed down was when the gang of moderates *saved* the filibuster.

[kliljedahl]

8. KatKiller is going

:nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke:


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[ClassWarrior]

10. A lot of people promised to draw the line in the sand here.

Let's hold 'em to it.

NGU.

[cry baby]

11. Is this THE distraction of all time...

from the DSM?

Was the resignation rushed to make Merikans forget about DSM & the war?

[Benhurst]

13. Poor old Bill Rehnquist,

knock, knock, knocking on Hell's door.

[DistressedAmerican]

15. Watch Them Push Ashcroft!!!

These pig fuckers will do it! Don't put it past them!

[no_hypocrisy]

18. FILIBUSTERRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

Bring it on.