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Rehnquist's duty

Perhaps the most inspiring scene from the inauguration festivities in Washington featured U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist. The 80-year-old suffers from thyroid cancer and has undergone chemotherapy and radiation, yet he was determined to administer the oath of office to President Bush. Rehnquist had not made a public appearance in three months, and it wasn't entirely certain whether he could will his failing body to cooperate.

Shortly before noon, Rehnquist arrived last in a black hat and gray scarf. He walked gingerly down the Capitol steps, using a cane but moving under his own power. Apparently wearing a breathing device at a spot where a tracheotomy was performed in October, he delivered the oath in a steady but weakened voice and left before Bush's inaugural address. It was a gritty performance we can all identify with as we battle advancing age or sickness while trying to maintain our dignity and our familiar routines.

Yet Rehnquist holds a unique position as chief justice, and little is known about his serious illness or his ability to function at the court. We expect presidents and even governors to publicly disclose details about their physical and mental health so we can judge their fitness for public service. U.S. Supreme Court justices should be held to the same standard. The Supreme Court's role in society is too important to allow unanswered questions about the health of its members to raise concerns about how its decisions are being reached.

For Rehnquist, his fifth presidential inauguration most likely will be his last and the most memorable. As we salute his perseverance, we also believe he has a duty to disclose medical information that would reveal whether his illness has left him unable to continue to actively serve as chief justice.

[Last modified January 23, 2005, 00:13:14]