# Roberts appointed by Bush as Chief Justice!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 5, 2005, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191 "2005-09-05T12:56:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![qubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f07891/32.png) [@qubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qubed)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/1 "2005-09-05T12:56:06Z")
Well, I’ll be damned. I never thought it would happen. I mean, I considered it, but I didn’t think Bush would do it. The worst part about it is that Roberts is only 50. Without trying to sound crass (nevermind, I’ll be crass), that’s a **lot** of potential years on the court. As much as I’m not fond of Roberts past record, I’m not going to Pit him in this thread. I’m sure there’s many others to do that in. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/2 "2005-09-05T12:59:02Z")
Talk about a quickie! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/3 "2005-09-05T13:37:44Z")
[He’s considering it, nothing more, as of yet.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/04/AR2005090401525_pf.html) ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/4 "2005-09-05T14:01:51Z")
[In which I realize I was linking to old news.](http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-09-05-roberts_x.htm) Oops. :o ---
**Author:** ![Stormfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@Stormfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormfield)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/5 "2005-09-05T14:24:31Z")
I’m surprised that he can do this. Isn’t there a rule that the Chief Justice must come from within the ranks of the Justices? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/6 "2005-09-05T14:26:15Z")
I presume not, if he’s nominating Roberts. ---
**Author:** ![qubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f07891/32.png) [@qubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qubed)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/7 "2005-09-05T14:26:56Z")
> [@Stormfield](#): > > I’m surprised that he can do this. Isn’t there a rule that the Chief Justice must come from within the ranks of the Justices? No, in fact most (not sure of exact ratio) CJ have come from _outside_ the ranks of the Justices. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/8 "2005-09-05T14:35:58Z")
I’m reminded of that flashback episode of 'The Dick Van Dyke Show" when Rob Petrie is first hired by The Alan Brady Show, but as head writer. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/9 "2005-09-05T14:47:54Z")
> [@Stormfield](#): > > I’m surprised that he can do this. Isn’t there a rule that the Chief Justice must come from within the ranks of the Justices? IIRC, only two CJs in US history have been elevated from Associate Justice. All the rest were off-Court appointments. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/10 "2005-09-05T14:49:03Z")
Will Roberts pass on the appointment? Can you _do_ that, if it’s from the President? _curious_ ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/11 "2005-09-05T14:51:25Z")
Considering that he was standing next to Bush when he announced it, I doubt he’ll turn it down. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/12 "2005-09-05T14:56:52Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > IIRC, only two CJs in US history have been elevated from Associate Justice. All the rest were off-Court appointments. Three, including Rehnquist. I’d have liked to have been a fly on Scalia’s wall when he read this bit of news. ---
**Author:** ![qubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f07891/32.png) [@qubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qubed)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/13 "2005-09-05T15:39:54Z")
> [@Mama Tiger](#): > > Considering that he was standing next to Bush when he announced it, I doubt he’ll turn it down. Plus, I’m willing to bet that Bush asked Roberts first. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/14 "2005-09-05T15:49:38Z")
Do they still get to haze the new justice as part of the initiation if he’s selected as Chief justice? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/15 "2005-09-05T16:24:44Z")
How is this a suprise? If he elevated a current Justice there would have to be an additional confirmation hearing. With everything else that is going on right now, we don’t have time for this shit. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/16 "2005-09-05T16:34:26Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Do they still get to haze the new justice as part of the initiation if he’s selected as Chief justice? They’ve got the goat tied up in the basement and the squid on back order already, so it’s all good. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/17 "2005-09-05T18:17:18Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > I’d have liked to have been a fly on Scalia’s wall when he read this bit of news. If you were a fly on that wall, you would have been killed by the fireball when his head exploded with rage. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/18 "2005-09-05T18:48:21Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > I’d have liked to have been a fly on Scalia’s wall when he read this bit of news. Scalia is a pretty smart guy. He surely expected it to play out exactly like it did. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/19 "2005-09-05T19:43:44Z")
Now, the real question is if Roberts will opt for the Gilbert and Sullivan stripes on his robe. Its’ an important issue and I expect Clinton or McCain to bring it up. ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191/20 "2005-09-05T20:00:52Z")
> [@Wolfian](#): > > Now, the real question is if Roberts will opt for the Gilbert and Sullivan stripes on his robe. Its’ an important issue and I expect Clinton or McCain to bring it up. I’m assuming they’re a reference to something in _Trial By Jury_, but what is the reference, exactly? (Yes, yes, I know I’m turning in my G&S fangirl card by not getting it…) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roberts-appointed-by-bush-as-chief-justice/320191.md?page=2)