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American Morning

How is U.S. Supreme Court's Chief Justice Chosen?

Aired August 30, 2001 - 10:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST (voice-over): Allen Hooper from Monteo, North Carolina asks, the president's duty is to choose the appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court, but how is the court's chief justice chosen?

(on camera): Allen, you are right. The president chooses the associate justices of the United States Supreme Court. The president also has a job of selecting the chief justices. It's a separate specific appointment.

You may recall that President Nixon nominated William Rehnquist as an associate justice in 1971. He took the bench in January of 1972. And President Ronald Reagan selected Rehnquist as chief justice in 1986.

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