There was no immediate word on his condition Wednesday afternoon.

    President Bush was unaware of Rehnquist's hospitalization until it was
publicly announced.

"We wish him a speedy recovery," Bush spokesman Scott McClellan said.

Rehnquist's future has been the subject of intense speculation since he
announced in October that he had thyroid cancer. He has said very little
publicly about his prognosis and nothing about his future at the court.

Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), who has a type of cancer
involving the lymph nodes, said doctors "take extensive precautions with
cancer patients who have elevated symptoms." Specter, R-Pa., is chairman of
the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Justice     Sandra Day O'Connor, 75, announced earlier this month that she was
stepping down, giving the court its first vacancy in 11 years. The uncertainty
about whether there will be a second vacancy has complicated the
administration's efforts to choose a replacem