Rehnquist is in the HOSPITAL with CANCER!!!

[in_cog_ni_to]

OMG!! OMG! OMG! CNN, NOW! Shit! Thyroid cancer.

[olddem43]

1. Pray for him to last until Kerry is president.

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. I AM praying for that!

<sigh>

[KharmaTrain]

13. He's Been In ICU Since Friday???

That doesn't sound very good at all. This isn't a diagnosis, this sounds advanced...and, yes, there's a concern here of some serious "Wag The Dog" going on.

If that's the case, we need to show how dangerous a Scalia court could be...then bring out some of the Associate Justice's words...he's the real danger here.

[in_cog_ni_to]

70. He had the Tracheotomy on SATURDAY!

They waited to release this info today because of the explosives story to be released today and because Clinton is speaking today. Take away attention from the chimp!

[KharmaTrain]

73. Yep...It's Another Wag The Dog

I've got lots of questions...hopefully others do as well.

1.) How long has this condition been known? How long has it been known to this regime?

2.) Yep, why was all this kept hushed all weekend so it could be disclosed one hour before the big Kerry/Clinton rally and to divert attention from this regime's gross negligence AGAIN in Iraq

3.) Does this regime feel so desperate to waive an ailing Chief Justice as a red flag to the wingnuts who live in the bubble that all judges are still "libruls" and we need Roy Moore on the Supreme Court :puke:

Now here's Bunnypants covering his ass in what was a safe "red" state giving the same-old stump crap...it's like watching a cartoon.

[Warpy]

79. Even if W appoints a right winger

to take his place, he won't be confirmed until the new Congress gets in. If, by some miracle, he gets confirmed, then it will still be a wash. Rehnquist is NOT the justice the Bush gang wanted replaced.

[juliagoolia]

Friggin NO!! Well at least if he goes down... he will

be replaced with another one just as bad.....but not worse?

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. Right. It's hard to find one much worse. n/t

[almostallhere]

20. there are worse...

one sits just two seats to his right, and there are more in the courts of appeals.

[Pithy Cherub]

44. agree!

The deepest concern is the behavior of trying to ram a confirmation/appointment through BEFORE the Kerry Inauguration. Vigilance is important! And this administration has proven it is capable of the darkest arts!

[liberal N proud]

2. This means one thing

Bush is loosing and they want to make sure he picks the next justice. It will be done under an emergency session of congress immediately following the election.

[DaveinMD]

6. won't happen

Dems would filibuster any such appointment.

[still_one]

37. you are absolutely right

[Carni]

26. That's what I was wondering

Can they do that? How likely would it be that a Bush pick could be confirmed before January? The potentially new Congress members don't take office until January either do they?

[Nancy Waterman]

3. Thyroid cancer is very curable

but it is rough for a few months. If Rehnquist quits, there is no way Bush can appoint anyone now unless he wins. The Dems will block a lame duck appointment.

[BayStateBoy]

77. Thyroid Cancer very Curable Unless it is "Anaplastic"

[DaveinMD]

5. that's one way

to make the supreme court a campaign issue.

[fugop]

9. Scarier thought ...

They use this to rile up all the fundies (like they need more riling up!) to get out and vote so Kerry can't appoint one of them thar activist judges.

Ai yi yi. Hang in there until Kerry gets in, Rehnquist. Then ... bye bye!

[Beetwasher]

24. Yup, Speaking Pragmatically Of Course, This Is BAD For Bush

It highlights the SC issue...Bush doesn't want that, no way...

[Thrill]

7. oh thats the October Suprise

[in_cog_ni_to]

10. Cancer of the Trachea....that's what he's being treated for. n/t

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

11. Please excuse my ignorance

as I am trying to educate myself on these things, but I take it Rehnquist is one of the rare liberal justices???

I'll think good thoughts for him.

[nonconformist]

18. Hardly. Exactly the opposite. nt

[Gato Moteado]

19. reinquist? liberal?

no. he's a puke.

[in_cog_ni_to]

21. NO! He's a RWer who

we were hoping would resign when Kerry was in office so Kerry could appoint another Liberal to the court.

Can the chimp appoint a judge at this late date? Anyone know?

[cardlaw]

22. No.

Very conservative. Appointed by Nixon. You're thinking of Stevens.

[apnu]

28. Nope, he's evil : explination here

But if he steps down before Kerry wins and is sworn in on Jan 20, then Bush gets to appoint a neocon right-wing wacko judge.

[w4rma]

36. 7 of the 9 seats on the US Supreme Court were appointed by Repugs (nt)

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

40. Ay-yi-yi

I knew it was bad, but didn't know it was that bad. The judicial branch is the one left I need to brush up on more. The learning curve is steep with this stuff and I've spent the last four years just educating myself on the ins and outs of the executive and legislative branch.

Thanks everyone.

[tigereye]

57. listen to Nina Totenburg on NPR

or Jan Greenburg on Jim Lehrer. They do a great run-down on Supreme COurt stuff. As an inveterate Supreme COurt watcher, I find their analyses fascinating.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

60. Thank you, I will!

I appreciate it!

[freetobegay]

39. Oy vey.

:eyes:

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

50. No need for that, my friend.

I asked a simple question.

[BurtWorm]

75. Did you get educated, Moonbeam?

:hi:

He's a Nixon appointee. Fought against civil rights and the voting act. Consistently votes with Scalia and Thomas. He needs to go.

[EagleEye]

12. Karma Folks: Pray that he recovers

Let's not lose our heart in all this.

[nonconformist]

25. We're the last people that want him to die now. nt

[in_cog_ni_to]

14. Who here thinks he has been sick for a long time and has already been

treated and they kept it under wraps until now? I do.

[Carni]

15. How convenient

I would put nothing past these pieces of shit--if he resigns for health, can they ram someone else in before the election?

Let's say Bush appoints a person (who obviously can't be confirmed before the election) and then Kerry wins the election...what happens then?

Does the person still stand as the prospective replacent pending confirmation (per the previous Pres's appoinment) or could Kerry reverse Bush's appointment and shit can his choice after he's elected?

This IMO shows one thing...the bush camp knows they may not be able to slither their way in again.

[wtmusic]

51. Xlnt points/questions, Carni

If we win back the Senate confirmation wouldn't happen anyway

[Catherine Vincent]

16. Hopefully it's not that bad. My doctor told me if you're goanna get

cancer the best place to get it is in the thyroid. I think because it can't spread.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

33. It's much easier to get to than

other places in the body, too. But it really depends on how advanced it was/is when they performed the surgery.

[Beetwasher]

17. Pragmatically Speaking, This Means There May Not Be a 5-4 Decision to

Decide the election this year...Just being a pragmatist...I hope he's ok...Though if Bush get's to replace him (which I doubt he would before Kerry is sworn in) it would merely mean status quo...

[NewYorkerfromMass]

27. Ha ha! If the USSC is deadlocked 4-4 then

they'll just have to count all the votes this time!

[Beetwasher]

31. Yup, This Puts A Supreme Court Decision OUT OF THE PICTURE

in deciding this election!

[Benhurst]

62. Unless, he dies or resigns before then, don't count on it. n/t

[Rose Siding]

34. Justices must be confirmed

No chance of replacement in this Senate.

[Shrek]

52. Don't be so sure.

Bush has shown a willingness to use recess appointments, and might do so again if there's a SC vacancy during the upcoming congressional recess.

[Maddy McCall]

23. It's in his trachea...."it doesn't look good"

Not easily treatable, according to CNN pundit.

[ciaobox]

29. Start pressuring Senate NOW!!!!!!!!!

Whatever the political risk, a filibuster (especially after the election) is extremely important. If Rightwingqwest dies or steps down, we CANNOT nay MUST NOT allow shrub to stick some fucking scumbag in there.

[still_one]

30. Relax

Things to consider:

1. Thyroid cancer should be very treatable
2. If it was something more serious, there is no way they could get a new Supreme Court justice in before the election, and then if Kerry wins, you would hope the Democrats would delay the process until Kerry takes office
3. This should be a wakeup call to everyone who thinks there is no difference between Kerry and bush

[Maddy McCall]

38. It's in his trachea.

[in_cog_ni_to]

42. It's cancer of the Trachea. CNN just reported that it's the Trachea not

Thyroid. He just had a Tracheotomy. He'll be back on the bench by Nov. 1!!!!

[unfrigginreal]

I don't believe it

This old croaker is sitting in that hospital eating truffles and drinking champagne. It's an effort to fire up the Puke base.

[crispini]

32. NPR is saying

he had a tracheotomy Saturday. If you have a tracheotomy it's probaly because you have diff breathing, Drs say. Could mean that it's spread and is "rather serious." Then says he's supposed to be back on the bench next Monday.

[MsTryska]

35. Well i guess we've got our October Surprise. nt

nt

[Maddy McCall]

41. He's had a tracheotomy

Not good.

[Robert Oak]

43. who has paranoid feelings that this isn't real?

There are many conservative Republicans who hate Shrub but have considered voting for him just because of the Supreme court..

so here we have screaming loud and clear...the Supreme court.

today we have damning news for Bush with the lost explosives in Iraq
plus we just got a poll that's reasonably weighted with Republicans
saying Kerry is 2% ahead.

then we have Clinton today...which is huge news because he's
campaigning after major heart surgery.

These two stories are now overshadowed.

I am not saying this is true, but I just have that 'wag the dog' feeling.

[in_cog_ni_to]

47. BINGO! This WAS PLANNED! No doubt about it.

They ALWAYS come out with a HUGE story when there's bad news for the chimp in the news. The explosives story will now take a back seat. :grr:

[Shopaholic]

48. And it happened to break just as Clinton was back on the scene

coincidence? I think not!

[in_cog_ni_to]

53. No way was this a coincidence.

:grr: These people are SICK. They will even USE a cancer patient to further their agenda! SICK, SICK, SICK!!!!

[Catfight]

74. Well this should get even MORE democrats out to vote if they enjoy

their civil rights. I think this finally will bring the SCJ issue to the forefront where it belongs: It's the Supreme Court Judges Stupid! Clinton will remind everyone of how important it is to have BALANCE, not some right wing nutcase like Bush in office.

[in_cog_ni_to]

45. He will be back on the bench by NOVEMBER 1!!!!!!

Holy shit.

[BootinUp]

46. Who reported that?

[in_cog_ni_to]

49. Jean Merserv (?) Pentagon reporter from CNN... n/t

[Democrat 4 Ever]

63. My first thought - Clinton is appearing now on TV,

the story about lost weapons is on all networks, poll numbers are tanking, scores of endorsements for Kerry and the Chief Justice story is breaking now? He has been in the hospital since last Friday? Puleeze - Bush will stoop to anything, even the use of a sick Supreme to yank the chain of the Kool Aid drunks. And since NO information can be released by the hospital about the health of a Supreme Court Justice without prior family approval I think the timing is very suspect. Guess Rehnquist is still playing politics for his good buddies.

MSNBC and CNN are both reporting he will be back on the bench next week. Just in time for an election ruling?

[fob]

54. Unlike our hate-filled counterparts I wish cancer upon no one, and

these bastards want to prop this guy back on the bench by next Monday, the day BEFORE the election?

Geez, they are literally willing to steal another election over this guys dead body.

[in_cog_ni_to]

55. They sure are. They will do ANYTHING to win.

This just means they plan on going back to the SC to get another appointment for the chimp. Otherwise they would tell him to stay home and take care of himself. They are evil!

[LizW]

56. If he had a tracheotomy,

will he be able to speak? And what about further treatment? Unless the cancer was very localized, wouldn't they do chemotherapy or radiation to make sure it's all gone?

[in_cog_ni_to]

59. I would think so.

If it hasn't spread they would more than likely do radiation. At least that's what they do with breast cancer. :shrug: That HAS to take a lot out of him.

[LizW]

64. That's what I'm thinking

My sister-in-law had chemotherapy followed by radiation last year, and it was really, really tough on her, and she's a lot younger than Rehnquist.

[EagleEye]

58. If He's Back on the Bench Nov. 1 Then this isn't a big deal.

And we shouldn't make it one.

[in_cog_ni_to]

61. True. AND, Bob Franken, CNN

just said that the Democrats are the ones with less to lose.

[EagleEye]

65. Meaning what exactly? I'm confused.

[in_cog_ni_to]

72. I would think it means

that the media thinks Kerry is going to win and will be the party to appoint the judge if something happens to Rehnquist. BUT, like an earlier post said, the chimp has been known to make recess appointments so, he may try to pull that. :shrug: PLUS, if Rehnquist isn't able to return to the bench by Nov.2 and the election goes to the SC again, the vote would be a tie. That would depend on whether the chimp does one of his magical recess appointments though. :hi:

[jbond56]

67. released this week

Saying he will be realsed this week.
on the Bench next week.

[Maestro]

66. I just got over thyroid cancer back in the Spring

If it is the papillary carcinoma type it is very treatable. If it is the anaplastic type, he's doomed. I suspect it is the former not the latter.

Edit: Okay so it is the trachea...hate to see anyone ill, and I am sure he is getting the best care possible. I don't much about this form of caner. Is it from smoking, GERD, alcohol or freak of nature?

[Philostopher]

68. I don't know if 'back on the bench by 11/1' is a good sign or not.

For Rehnquist personally, I mean. It means one of two things -- the cancer is localized and treatable, and he'll put off his chemo for a couple of weeks, until the election is over ... or that it's so bad it's not treatable. Lost my dad to cancer six years ago, they didn't do any radiation or surgical therapy, and only nominal chemotherapy, because he was in such bad shape they knew they could only extend his life by a couple of months. Serious chemo would have killed him right away, and there were no surgical options, it had metastasized too much by the time they found out he had it.

Either Rehnquist's cancer isn't that bad, and he's putting off treatment, or it's so bad they can't do anything but palliative therapy for him. Not sure it matters much -- if he's going back to the bench, he is. I feel sorry for him at his age, finding out he has cancer, regardless. No matter what a heel he may be, it's a pretty awful thing.

[Czolgosz]

69. I've had a similar cancer. It's sometime treatable, sometimes not,

but even if it's treatable, the treatment are not always something a person in poor physical condition is apt to survive and it is often not a treatment someone in poor physical condition could undertake and remain actively involved in his or her job for many months. Rehnquist is a very bad judge, but at least he's been conservative (as opposed to right-wing activist like Thomas and Scalia). I suspect that this probably ends Rehnquist's career regardless of his ultimate prognosis.

I hope that Kerry is given the opportunity to appoint a person of the people, for the people to the Supreme Court, and I hope people know what type of judge Bush would likely appoint.

Remind everyone you know about Bush's recess appointment of Charles Pickering (appointed during a senatorial recess after the Senate had blocked his appointment). Pickering is a judge who (1) wrote a law review article defending the practice of outlawing interracial marriage, (2) has described voting rights litigation as a nuisance, and (3) violated judicial ethics by lobbying for a reduced sentence for a cross-burning Klansman.

Remind everyone about Bush's recess appointment of William Pryor who called (1) Roe v. Wade “the worst abomination in the history of constitutional law,” (2) the Voting Rights Act “an affront to federalism and an expensive burden.”

Remind everyone about Bush's appointment James Leon Holmes (1) former president of Arkansas Right to Life, (2) who wrote that “the wife is to subordinate herself to her husband” and that “the woman is to place herself under the authority of the man” and said that advocacy for a woman's right to choose is “abandoning what little morality our society still recognizes. This was attempted by one highly sophisticated, historically Christian nation in our century – Nazi Germany.”

These are the judges who Bush actually got appointed. The ones who Bush has nominated and whose nominations have been held up are even worse!

[The Chronicler]

71. Even if he retired right now, a replacement wouldn't be approved

for a while.

[in_cog_ni_to]

76. Bush likes to make recess appointments.

I KNOW he would try to do that with a Supreme Court nominee. He MAY even ask Rehnquist to resign so he can do just that. :shrug:

[cindyw]

78. Thyroid cancer is the most curable cancer.

As long as it was caught early he will be okay.

[DemFromMem]

80. This is GOOD news for Kerry

Those pro-choice "security moms" that everyone is talking about are going to think twice about voting away Roe v. Wade. Nader voters are now going to realize that Bush and Kerry are NOT the same thing. The Democratic base will be even more fired up to vote. And pro-choice Republicans already uncomfortable with Bush are going to be nervous.

The fundies are voting anyway so don't worry about them.

[GalleryGod]

82. YUP

Paul Wellstone will ge glad to kick him in the ass:kick:
when he leaves this earth!

He's a wretched piece of puss.......

[jsw_81]

81. Don't worry

Even if Rehnquist should croak, there is no way in hell that Bush will get *anyone* confirmed before January 20.