The Chief is dead.

I wonder if his refusal to resign was wishful thinking or fighting against the dying of the light. Maybe he figured that if he could hold out until October, it would put pressure on the Senate to dispense with the filibuster threat and get on with business. I hope Senator Frist will hold their feet to the fire and get this done. He ought to let the wobbly Republicans know that collegiality is no longer a reason to go along with this nonsense. I hope McCain will rethink his closeness to the Dems. I get the impression that he's posturing as an independent because he got burned by the S&L scandal and wants to let the conservatives know that they can't take him for granted, but that can go too far. If he thinks Kerry, Leahy and Kennedy would be there for him, he's naive beyond belief.

I don't know the candidates that well, but I'd prefer a replacement for Rehnquist who has judicial experience. These things seem to be a crapshoot. Bush nailed it with the Roberts pick. Can he resist going the affirmative action route for the second pick?

I'm not sure I'd nominate Roberts for Chief Justice just yet. I'd like to see Scalia there just to drive Nina Totenberg nuts.