The Supreme Court as a Presidential Issue

Re “Chief Justice Has Thyroid Cancer,” Oct. 26: Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist gave us a gift. It sounds as though he will recover speedily and well, but his sudden illness brought to the forefront the pressing issue of judicial appointments that may occur during the next presidency -- appointments that could change the rights of Americans long into the future.

There are seemingly many Americans, and reportedly most of them are women, who are still undecided as to how they will vote in this election.

I would like to say to them, take this turn of events in the high court as an opportunity to refocus your thoughts about the election.

Do you believe the federal government should determine what medical procedures a woman should have available to her or that those choices should be left to the woman and her doctor?

Your stance on that issue will determine for whom you will vote in this presidential election because this election will determine whose decision it is.

Aimee Lagos

Los Angeles

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Re “Americans Are Electing a Supreme Court Too,” Commentary, Oct. 26: John C. Yoo is identified only as “a former Bush administration Justice Department official.” Readers might better understand his concern about the court if they knew that he was one of the key participants in the administration’s rewrite of military law after 9/11, and the author of a memo arguing that the president could set aside the protections of the 4th Amendment within the United States if he deemed it necessary for the war on terrorism.

The justices chosen by the next president will probably review the constitutionality of the system advocated by Yoo, a personal interest he does not mention in his article.

Marshall Carter-Tripp

El Paso, Texas