"That's for me to know and you to find out"

That's what one of the most powerful men in the nation had to say to rumors of his retirement.

Yep - word both on the Internet and in print (albeit from the same man who outed a covert CIA operative) has it that Chief Justice William Rehnquist is preparing to retire. Not "sometime soon" or "eventually" or "someday" but right now. As in at the end of the G-8 summit as soon as the President is in a position to accept his resignation (read: back on American terra firma).

This on the heels of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement Friday to care for her ailing husband. Man, go on vacation and the world turns upside down!

I knew we were in trouble in November. There was no way the High Court would remain in tact through the next four years. W would, at some point in his term, have the opportunity to leave his mark on the social fabric of our nation long after he leaves office through the justice he appointed to the Supreme Court.

Then again, this article on blogcritics provides an interesting perspective on the prospect for a conservative court....the same idea Nvak set forth in his column. Right now, it's a balance that's the best we can hope for.