Rehnquist vows to "stay" While O'Connor is "urged" back

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist said Thursday he will continue heading the Supreme Court while battling thyroid cancer. "I'm not about to announce my retirement," he said.

"I want to put to rest the speculation and unfounded rumors of my imminent retirement," Rehnquist, 80, said in a statement first disclosed by The Associated Press and later confirmed by the court. "I will continue to perform my duties as chief justice as long as my health permits."

Source
abcnews.go.com...

Republicans Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine and Democrats Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Barbara Boxer of California.

"We urge you to reconsider your resignation and return to the Supreme Court to serve as chief justice, should there be a vacancy," the senators said in the Thursday letter.

The four senators also said they will "strongly recommend" to President Bush that O'Connor become the next chief justice if Rehnquist steps down.

"We believe such a history-making nomination by the president would demonstrate leadership that unites Americans around the shared values of liberty, the rule of law and the preservation of our constitutional freedoms," they said.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and top Judiciary Democrat Patrick Leahy of Vermont first publicly stoked speculation about a possible O'Connor candidacy for chief justice on Sunday.

Source
abcnews.go.com...

Wondering what you all think of this?

[edit on 7/15/2005 by Rhiannon1968]

This is ridiculous! The poor woman wants to step down to spend time with her dying husband and these politicians are politicizing it by offering a job that isn't even open!

Shame on all of them!