This is interesting because it shows how fast a rumor can take hold on the internet nowadays. A law professor jokes about something in class, and in less than an hour it's on several major news sites.
Now if only I could make my product's PR so compelling = )
Indeed. I think this also goes to show the low standard of quality of many news sources. The fact that something so preposterous could spread at all without any verification is expected from the masses, but when news sources start mentioning them and fail to issue a formal retraction, instead sidestepping the issue, it should cause them to lose a lot of credibility. Unfortunately, in this day and age, many people would rather go to Twitter than to some reputable source for such news and that says a lot in itself.
Anyone, especially anyone in the legal field, would have to be gullible to believe that Roberts will retire any time in the next 20 years. Longevity on the court is one reason he was put there.