Chief Justice Rehnquist dies
 

And this just throws a whole new wrench into the mix.

I didn't always agree with his reasoning, but damn, he worked 'til the end and my stout Germanic heritage can't help but respect that.

Wow, just saw it on CNN. I'm speechless.

A great legal mind, no doubt. He will be missed.

Here's my question. This makes for a VERY tight schedule to get a judge appointed by the time the new session starts. O'Conner had said that she'd stick around until a judge was appointed to replace her. At this point, is Roberts locked in as O'Conner's replacement, or can Bush pick a new Chief Justice, appoint Roberts to fill Rehnquist's spot, and have O'Conner stick around to allow for a decently paced search and confirmation?

It is my understanding that Robert's nomination has now been changed to take the spot of the Chief Justice.

I have also read that should Roberts be confirmed to that position and another justice is selected to take the place of O'Connor, O'Connor could stick around on the court. However, I think her resignation means she may offer opinions only, and that her vote would hold no weight. This would present the possibility of 4-4 votes on the court until another justice is confirmed.

First Rehnquist and now Giligan. Two great comics in one week. Such a shame.

So I'm wondering.....with all the cries to nominate a so-called moderate to the court when O'Connor stepped down, I wonder if there will be the same cries to appoint a clearly conservative justice with the passing of Rehnquist.

I'm thinking there won't be.

And you gotta love Alan Dershowitz, who mere hours after Rehnquist passed was on MSNBC calling him a republican thug.

That's probably because its a given.

My point was a sarcastic one - all the concern over preserving the current balance of the court, etc, when the moderate O'Connor stepped down won't be an issue with the conservative Rehnquist stepped down. In fact, I would suspect opposition to any conservative, much as there has been from the far left - Kennedy, Shumer, etc - to Roberts.

Yeah, but neither side really wants a balance in the courts, what they really want are justices that are aligned with their ideology. Demanding a moderate is only a smokescreen to hide this when it is unlikely that such an appointment is in the cards. Gotta look like you are for a balanced govt when the tide is going against you.