Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s health is the subject of much Washington speculation.
Democrats – as well as many members of the media – are terrified Ginsberg could resign due to health complications.
But when Fox News aired a graphic reporting that she had died, all hell broke loose.
Fox News Channel’s morning show ‘Fox and Friends’ caused a stir on Monday when they aired a graphic claiming Ginsberg had died.
The graphic was put on the air in error.
Ginsberg is at home recovering from surgery after doctors removed cancerous tumors from her lungs.
Hosts Steve Doocy and Ainsley Earhardt quickly apologized when the show returned from break.
“We need to apologize … A technical error in the control room triggered a graphic of RBG with a date on it,” Doocy explained. “We don’t want to make it seem anything other than that was a mistake. That was an accident.”
“We apologize, big mistake,” Earhardt stated.
Doctors found that Ginsberg had cancerous tumors on her lungs after she had suffered a fall and broken her ribs.
Ginsberg is the leader of the Supreme Court’s four-member liberal bloc and a hero to the left.
Celebrities and journalists offered her body parts and days off their own lives if it meant Ginsberg could serve on the court for the length of Trump’s Presidency.
They know if Ginsberg retires, Trump will appoint a conservative Justice – the favorite is Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett – to replace her.
And six conservatives on the court could lead to the end of Roe v. Wade.
Some conservatives believe the court won’t take up a case to overturn Roe because establishment-oriented Chief Justice John Roberts doesn’t want it overturned on a 5-4 majority where he’d be the Justice identified with providing the fifth vote.
But six conservative Justices on the court would provide safety in numbers.
First, it would allow for a more authoritative 6-3 majority.
Second, Roberts would not have liberal reporters and academics labeling him as the man who struck down Roe.
Millions of Americans turn out to vote so a Republican President can appoint Supreme Court Justices to achieve that very goal.
But as Roberts changing his mind on the Obamacare case showed, he’s a creature of the Washington swamp who easily folds to liberal pressure campaigns.
As Chief Justice, Roberts wields enormous power to shape the court’s direction.
However, he is the least conservative and reliable member of the five Justices appointed by Republican Presidents.
Many Trump supporters wish he would retire so the President could replace him with a younger, more conservative Justice who has a sterner spine.
But that is not likely to happen.
Even so, Ginsberg’s health is a real issue.
She said she would do the job as long as she could perform her duties “full steam.”
But if she determines she cannot, it will create an opening on the Supreme Court that could reshape America for all time.
We will keep you up to date on any new developments in this ongoing story.