Rehnquists’ cancer reminds of high stakes in this election
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 26, 2004
Seattle - Just eight days before the general election, yesterday’s disclosure that 80-year-old Chief Justice William Rehnquist has thyroid cancer propelled the issue of the Supreme Court and women’s reproductive rights onto the front burner. The announcement is a reminder of the next president's role in shaping the closely divided United States Supreme Court. One to three vacancies on the bench are expected to occur during the next presidential term.
“Rehnquists’ illness illustrates that this presidential election is about more than the next four years -- it is about shaping the direction of the Supreme Court and women’s reproductive rights for the next 40 years,” said Karen Cooper, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington.
The longest-serving member of the highest US court, Rehnquist voted against Roe vs. Wade in 1973 and has supported challenges to the law ever since. “If the next president of the United States replaces our Justices with jurists like William Rehnquist, Roe vs. Wade will be overturned,” Cooper warned.
John Kerry has announced that he would not appoint justices who did not support a woman's right to choose. Bush has said that he would not apply a litmus test to appointees to the court, but that he would name people who were
"strict constructionists." An adviser to Bush said in a recent interview that it was hard to see how a strict interpretation of the Constitution would include the right to an abortion.
“The next president will either protect or overturn women's constitutional reproductive rights in our country. Bush worked hard to take away our reproductive rights during his first term and can be trusted to stop nothing short of having Roe vs. Wade overturned,” concluded Cooper.
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington is the leading grassroots pro-choice advocacy organization in Washington state. NARAL Pro-Choice Washington endorses 100% pro-choice candidates. NARAL Pro-Choice Washington PAC works to elect candidates committed to protecting the full range of reproductive health options, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion.
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