Earlier this evening, ailing Chief Justice William Rehnquist issued a statement saying he was staying on the court:

"I'm not about to announce my retirement," he said.

"I want to put to rest the speculation and unfounded rumors of my imminent retirement," Rehnquist, 80, said in a statement first disclosed by The Associated Press and later confirmed by the court. "I will continue to perform my duties as chief justice as long as my health permits."

Rehnquist issued the statement hours after being released from an Arlington, Va., hospital after being treated for two days with a fever.

Ever since his announcement last year that he had thyroid cancer, we've been waiting for Rehnquist to retire. Last Friday, Supreme Court insiders claimed that Rehnquist would retire by the end of the day, but no dice. I guess he's tired of people asking him when he's going to announce his retirement.