But it's not going to be her.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/13/AR2009031303431_ pf.html

Speculation about a departure has also centered on two of Ginsburg's fellow liberals on the court, John Paul Stevens, who will turn 89 next month, and David H. Souter, 69. But neither has mentioned the possibility.


Questions: Does Obama have the power to reassign the Chief Justice position? If so, is there a reason for not doing it?

It would be left to Congress to remove the Chief Justice through impeachment in the US House and trial and conviction in the US Senate.

I don't think John Roberts has done anything to be removed as Chief Justice ... and in the grand scheme of things, it would be more important as far as Obama is concerned to appoint someone who is more left-leaning, to any Supreme Court opening, to more reflect his views than it is to shuffle the deck chairs.

Ginsburg has hinted, more than once, that she would contemplate retirement when a Democratic President is elected. I would not be surprised if she did somewhat soon now.

I'd like to see Scalia and Thomas gone.

Thomas and Souter have both been largely disappointments to the folks more to the right, seeing as they were Republican appointees.