Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist administered the oath of office to President Bush on Thursday, his first public appearance since being diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Rehnquist has been absent from the U.S. Supreme Court for the past three months due to his illness and a tracheotomy surgery. He missed oral arguments for two Indian law cases: the self-determination contract dispute and the Oneida Nation's treaty rights case.

Rehnquist's voice sounded damaged and he had a visible white plastic device at the base of his throat. Speculation has fueled that he will step down during Bush's second term.

Get the Story:
Ailing Rehnquist Administers the Oath of Office (The Washington Post 1/21)
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Ailing Chief Justice Makes Good His Promise (The New York Times 1/21)
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Bush Pledges to Spread Freedom (The Washington Post 1/21)
Bush, at 2nd Inaugural, Says Spread of Liberty Is the 'Calling of Our Time' (The New York Times 1/21)
Transcript: 'There Is No Justice Without Freedom' (Federal News Service 1/21)

Relevant Links:
NARF-NCAI Tribal Supreme Court Project - http://doc.narf.org/sc/index.html

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