Ailing Rehnquist Plans to Swear In President

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist has sworn in every president since 1988 and, despite undergoing treatment for thyroid cancer, he plans to read President Bush the oath of office at his second inauguration Jan. 20.

Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said Friday that Rehnquist “was invited to administer the oath of office, and he has accepted.”

A White House spokesman said the president sent a note to the chief justice asking him to administer the oath, and Rehnquist responded with a letter of acceptance.

The terse announcement and the exchange of letters did not quiet speculation that the chief justice was seriously ill and would not return to the bench. However, it suggested Rehnquist didn’t plan to resign soon.

Court officials said he had been working at home and had dictated memos and instructions to them, in keeping with his practice of doing his work regardless of the situation. On some winter days when snow shut down all of official Washington, Rehnquist kept the Supreme Court in session and on schedule.

He is also devoted to maintaining his privacy. Once, early in his tenure as chief justice, reporters asked whether they would be kept informed about the health of the justices. He quickly dismissed the idea. “You people can be like a bunch of vultures,” he said.

Since Rehnquist announced in late October that he was being treated for cancer, he had been absent from the court. He missed four weeks of arguments, but court officials said the chief justice intended to participate in the decision of each case.