Rehnquist watch

Mark Twain would have appreciated it. Reports of Chief Justice William Rehnquist's retirement, like those of Twain's death, appear to have been greatly exaggerated.

The NY Times:

WASHINGTON, July 14 - Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, ending months of increasingly frenzied speculation about his retirement plans, declared on Thursday night that he would continue to serve "as long as my health permits."

The chief justice's announcement, released without advance notice by his family, was completely unexpected and took the White House and Supreme Court officials by surprise. It first appeared on The Associated Press wire shortly before 9 p.m.

The statement said: "I want to put to rest the speculation and unfounded rumors of my imminent retirement. I am not about to announce my retirement. I will continue to perform my duties as chief justice as long as my health permits."

His health could fail at any time, of course. But he apparently is not
ready to come back and spend his remaining days in his native Shorewood.