Chief Justice William Rehnquist Dead at 80

William Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the United States, died Saturday evening at his Arlington, Virginia home of thyroid cancer. Rehnquist served 33 years on the nation's highest court and served as Chief Justice for 19 years. He was 80-years-old. He was surrounded by his three children when he died.

'The Chief Justice battled thyroid cancer since being diagnosed last October and continued to perform his duties on the court until a precipitous decline in his health the last couple of days,' Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg announced.

Richard M. Nixon appointed Rehnquist to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1971. He officially was sworn in as an associated justice on January 7, 1972. In 1986, Ronald Reagan appointed Rehnquist as Chief Justice.

President Bush now has two seats to fill at the Supreme Court which is a very rare opportunity. The second opening will most likely face more political opposition than John Roberts who Bush has nominated to replace the retiring Sandra Day O'Connor.

'President Bush and Mrs. Bush are deeply saddened by the news,' said White House counselor Dan Bartlett. 'It's a tremendous loss for our nation.' The president was expected to make a personal statement about Rehnquist on Sunday.

Rehnquist's career as a Supreme Court justice followed a drastic shift to the right by the nation's highest court. When he was first appointed to the court, Mr. Rehnquist was very often the lone dissenter in a number of cases. By the time he finished his career, he was a leader of the strong right wing of the court along with Justices Scalia and Thomas.

In recent years, as Chief Justice, Rehnquist presided over the circus-like impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton and the controversial Florida recount case that appointed George W. Bush as the nation's president after the 2000 elections.

Rehnquist last appeared in the court on June 27 when he delivered a decision upholding the display of the Ten Commandments in Texas. He was clearly in poor health and appeared frail and had difficulty breathing. Rumors of his possible retirement swirled this Spring, but Rehnquist indicated he intended to remain on the court as long as possible.

Philosophically, Rehnquist was a supporter of states rights. He believed states could ban abortion but did not believe in affirmative action programs. Rehnquist believed in school prayer and in the use of federal funds to help send children to private parochial schools.

Among the possible candidates the president may appoint to take Rehnquist's seat on the court include Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and federal courts of appeals judges J. Michael Luttig, Edith Clement, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Michael McConnell, Emilio Garza, and James Harvie Wilkinson III.