How Many Supreme Court Justices Do You Think Kerry Will Get To Nominate?

[DrFunkenstein]

WASHINGTON - Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist turns 80 this year and acknowledges he's thinking about retirement. But he won't say when that might come.

"At age 79 you can't help but think about retirement," he told NBC's "Today" show in an interview airing Wednesday. "Your life expectancy isn't what it once was. And you've got to think about the possibility of retirement."

Rehnquist is not the oldest member of the court. Justice John Paul Stevens turns 84 next month, and despite his age is a spry bridge player and golfer. Rehnquist, known more for his poker and tennis, celebrates his 80th birthday in October.

It's been almost a decade since the last vacancy on the Supreme Court. A retirement is considered unlikely this year, because of the politics that would be involved in a Senate confirmation during a presidential campaign.

Most of the retirement speculation in recent years has focused on Rehnquist, who has had chronic back pain and other health troubles, as well as Stevens and Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Possible replacements, in a Bush administration, include White House counsel Alberto Gonzales, appeals court judges Emilio Garza and James Harvie Wilkinson III, and California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown, whose nomination to a federal appeals court is stalled in the Senate.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=558&ncid=701&e=2&u=/ap/20040309/ap_on_go_su_co/rehnquist_retirement

[DrFunkenstein]

1. Any Predictions On Who Will Step Down?

Stevens, Rehnquist, or O'Connor? Someone else?

[trotsky]

4. I said 3, and those are my 3 guesses.

Although I'm sure Rehnquist would rather die on the bench than step down with a Democrat in office.

[IronLionZion]

2. I wish Scalia and Thomas would retire

but they won't

[lastknowngood]

3. 0 even if he wins which is verrrry doubtful the rethuglicans will

have the senate and will dictate the appointments

[trumad]

6. verrrry doubtful

Otimistic are we?

[jsw_81]

8. No

It's unlikely that President Kerry's nominees will be blocked unless they're left-wing nuts. But Kerry is smarter than that and will nominate moderates who will be confirmed.

[Jane Austin]

11. I agree with this.

It'd be just dumb to nominate people who wouldn't get and easy confirmation.

[mikehiggins]

21. The Senate cannot dictate the nominations. They can stall them

however. Then the President can go on the air and point out how the nation's business is being held up because the Senate doesn't want to appoint judges who support choice for women, etc., etc.

Sort of like HST blasting them for a do-nothing Congress years ago.

No reason it wouldn't work again.

[Doomsayer13]

25. unless Kerry nominates a left-wing Bork

the nominees should pass. Generally nominees, be they liberal or conservative, pass without much hitch as long as they trend towards the center. The senate may be partisan but I doubt Repubs will be obstructionist for the sake of being obstructionist if Kerry picks somebody with a good background.

[JohnLocke]

5. Stevens, Breyer, Ginsberg.

[jsw_81]

7. At least two

Several of the justices are in their seventies (or older) and it would be shocking if at least two didn't retire by 2009.

Do you realize how incredibly lucky we are that we're three years into Bush's presidency* and not ONE has retired? It's amazing. We won't, however, be as lucky if he gets another term. That's why Kerry has got to win this thing. If he doesn't, we're totally screwed.

*Bush was never elected.

[asthmaticeog]

9. In a perfect world

he'd get to nominate 5. Can you guess which 5? Sure you can.

[mobuto]

10. Stevens, O'Conner, Rehnquist

possibly Ginsburg, depending on how healthy she stays.

[mndemocrat_29]

12. If Kerry is elected

My guess is that Stevens will retire within the year. O'Connor will likely retire for Kerry so that a pro-choice justice is appointed, and I'd guess either Rehnquist will leave the Court or Ginsburg will, but that won't be until Kerry' third year of office.

I want Alan Paige to be appointed the next Supreme Court Justice!

[gottaB]

13. 4 retirees, 1 impeachment, I possible resignation

Thomas may resign in protest of the Scalia impeachment

[mitchum]

15. Good Ol' Clarence will take the bullet for Mistuh Tony...

in the event of a Scalia impeachment.

[AntiCoup2K4]

14. If Kerry is elected, Stevens will retire for sure.

O'Connor might retire, given the fact that she doesn't seem to be always in step with her fellow Felonious Florida Five members.

Rehnquist will stay in until he drops dead, especially if there's a Democrat in the White House.

[DyedNTheWoolDemocrat]

16. I'm guessing 3 but I hope Kerry can preside over a couple impeachments

on the Supreme Court for a couple Justices who are not slated for retirement soon enough to satisfy my tastes.

[RoadRunner]

17. Hi DyedNTheWoolDemocrat! Welcome to DU!!

Glad ya' found us! :hi:

[DyedNTheWoolDemocrat]

18. I've been lurking for a while and quite impressed!

Thanks for the welcome.

[cosmokramer]

19. Honestly...

...I hope Antonine Scalia and Bill Rehnquist end up in diapers puking the Constitution all over themselves sometime in the next four years.

So, I say TWO! Get the old right wing bastards out of there!

And in case you didn't already figure it out, Antonine Scalia is the
Devil.

:mad:

[usregimechange]

20. This is SO important!

We can't not allow Bush to nominate two or three justices!!!

[DyedNTheWoolDemocrat]

23. Only one would push us over the edge

He can't even nominate one.

[mikehiggins]

22. Whoever, I hope Kerry nominates Edwards for the SC n/t

[DemPoliticalJunkie]

24. My guess is 3

Rhenquist, O'Connor, and Stevens for sure.

[beanball]

26. Replacing

members of the supreme courtjesters.If we are fortunate enough to get a replacement house and senate the five selectors will proberly be impeached.

[CoupdEtat2000]

27. If Kerry gets elected i hope he replaces 5!