Justice Stevens: Not Going Gentle Into That Good Night?
Geez! Some of you had almost violent reactions to the rumor we passed along yesterday that Justice John Paul Stevens might retire from the Supreme Court in June. These responses are representative:
JPS retire? Not a fat chance! But that's just a feeling I have. It's not really based on any facts. Or anything I've overheard. It would just make me mad is all. So...
NewsMax and Confirm Them certainly would love Stevens to retire. But a dearly held wet-dream does not reality make... Which is a good thing for those of us who hope that Stevens turns out to be immortal, or at least a very long-lived cyborg.
People, calm down! It's just a rumor, which we offered with an entire shaker of salt.
After the jump , some reassurance for those of you who fear that this rumor will come to pass.
Here are some interesting reader comments arguing that JPS isn't going anywhere anytime soon:
One of my profs is a recent Stevens clerk and he apparently does not intend to retire anytime in the near future.
Justice Stevens has an older brother who is in his 90s and doing just fine, playing tennis and/or golf. My buddy [name omitted] clerked for Stevens a few years back and tells me that Stevens has no intention of retiring ever. He is, like Rehnquist was, sick of the constant speculation andwas offended when Clinton's people asked him if he'd please consider retiring-- so he sure as hell has no intention of retiring anytime soon. I think the phrase [the ex-Stevens clerk] used was "cold dead hands" in response to the question of when they'd pry his special pen of Justice away from him....
If Justice Stevens is upset about being in "a powerless liberal minority," why would he leave this June, only to allow President Bush and the Republican-controlled Senate to install another conservative? He should at least hold off until June 2007, after the midterm elections, when the Democrats will hopefully have more seats in the Senate.
Come on! JPS's in great health, does most of his work in Florida, and gets paid some nice buckage to irritate the fuck out of Scalia. WHO WOULDN'T WANT THAT JOB FOREVER? Long live Justice Stevens!
Idle Gossip and Speculation About Justice Stevens [Confirm Them]
Stevens Yes! Stevens No! [Judge and Jewry: Above the Din]
Earlier: Breaking: Justice Stevens "Can't Put Up With This Shit Any More"!