Cheif Justice Scalia?

[Peter]

I've been talking to some people with medical qualifications; From the article they reckon that Rehnquist simply won't survive much longer than about a year, and may well be too ill to officiate at the inauguration; In this instance, the honour falls to Justice Stevens as the ranking Justice.

Any attempt to put Scalia or Thomas in as CJ will be filibustered for a month of Sundays. Kennedy is the likely nominee for the job, unless Bush does a deal to get a conservative Associate Justice in exchange for Breyer or Ginsbury or Souter to be Chief Justice. Though I understand that Souter may step down during this term anyway.