Ailing chief justice delivers oath
By Bill Schneider
CNN Political Unit
(CNN) -- The speculation was rampant. Would the chief justice make it onto the platform? Would his frail condition cause concern?
A former clerk to Chief Justice William Rehnquist describes him as a fighter.
"He's not going to give in lightly to being sick," said Jay Jorgensen, former Rehnquist clerk. "He's going to fight it hard."
The chief justice didn't just make an appearance Thursday. He made a statement walking unaided to his seat, smiling and speaking in a weak but clear voice when he said, "Will you raise your right hand, Mr. President, and repeat after me?"
President Bush was moved, saying at the luncheon following his swearing in, "I want you to know how touched I was the chief justice came to administer the oath. That was an incredibly moving part of the ceremony."
How do you know people find your appearance heartening? When even Jay Leno sees fit to comment on it.
"Did you see Rehnquist when he arrived? He was hunched over, wearing a big black beret and he had that big black oversize robe on. And when Clinton saw him, he said, 'Monica?'"
The chief justice reportedly wants to continue working through the end of the court's term in June. If so, Rehnquist's appearance was reassuring most of all to President Bush.
If Rehnquist had not shown up, or if his appearance had caused alarm, it would have set off a debate over his successor.
John Dean, who went through some tough court confirmation fights as part of the Nixon White House counsel, says both President Bush and the Senate seem prepared for a showdown.
"The fact he is renominating judges who have been rejected indicated he's in a scrappy mood and is prepared to fight," said Dean. "And there are rumblings the Senate is totally prepared to go nuclear."
President Bush doesn't need that fight right now. Not when he is about to unveil an ambitious agenda on Social Security, taxes and world affairs.
Rehnquist's scrappy determination has bought the president some time. And bought the chief justice the political Play of the Week.
Rehnquist is a staunch conservative, but court watchers report he has brought a spirit of friendship and collegiality to the court. The justices still disagree, but without being disagreeable.
That's something the executive and legislative branches could learn from.
