Rehnquist Likely Worse off than Reported.

Medical experts have noted that the procedure the Chief Justice underwent is usually associated with a serious illness. it has been reported that he had a tracheotomy related to thyroid cancer.

That's the public news...but the experts i mentioned above have commented that such a treatment is most often for a form of cancer called "anaplastic carcinoma is an extremely serious and aggressive thyroid cancer which often results in the death of the patient...within several months of diagnosis." (Univ. of Va. Health Center).

Many have observed that the Chief Justice has been the least healthy of the 9 justices and expected him to be one of the 1st to leave the bench. Just as many have also observed that he (and some say O'Connor) would both like to step down but are reluctant to do so under a Democratic Replacement. i fully expected O'Connor to retire over the last 4 years but she did not. Now Rehnquist may be in such poor health he cannot choose when to leave.

i believe the next President may appoint more new members to the court than any since Nixon.