More on Rehnquist from The Brethren:

Rehnquist didn't share [Chief Justice] Burger's concern with appearances and formality. He was very casual. During the nice weather, he and his clerks sometimes ate lunch in one of the two enclosed courtyards ... as they were picnicking in shirtsleeves one day, Burger's messenger, Alvin Wright, set up a small table with silver service and a white linen tablecloth. Moments later, Burger came out with his clerks, Burger, his jacket on, poured the wine ... as they gazed on the solemnity at the Burger table, Rehnquist's laughter grew almost uncontrollable. He and his clerks had to dash inside.

That said, Mr. Casual's personal judicial obsessions were on full view from the moment he set foot in the court:

The liberals found it hard not to like the good-natured, thoughful Rehnquist. They could even bring themselves to respect his crisp intellect and diligence ... His extreme legal philsosophy worried the liberals. Rehnquist had a very narrow view of the Fourteenth Amendment ... the Court had for nearly a century used this amendment to ensure basic freedoms for all citizens. In Rehnquist's view, the amendment was misapplied when used to give rights to prisoners, women or other groups ... Even more chilling to the liberals was Rehnquist's ideological commitment to keep the federal courts out of certain types of cases.

And he predicted the future correctly:

It was only recently that activism on the Court had become "liberal" activism, Rehnquist reminded them. Only forty years before, the Court's activists were conservatives. The balance was once again shifting back, Rehnquist said.

23 Sep 05