Hatch is expected to wrap up his tenure as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee later this month when Congress convenes Nov. 16.

Under the GOP's self-imposed six-year limit on chairmanships, Hatch will not lead the panel that manages the president's judicial nominees through Senate confirmation when the 109th Congress convenes in January.

He will be the senior Republican on the committee, but will have to yield to Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Penn., a moderate who is next in line in seniority.

Despite losing his chairmanship and control of the committee's agenda and staff, Hatch maintains he will be intimately involved in the selection and confirmation of any new Supreme Court justices.

"I've always been a key player in all of that and I don't have to be chairman to be a key player," said Hatch. "I think the president is going to get two to four nominations in the next term and I intend to play a role in those confirmations."

Hatch said he hasn't spoken with Rehnquist but believes chances of his retirement "depend on how serious his condition is. He's one of the all-time great intellects on the court and he would be tremendously missed."

Specter's anticipated succession as judiciary chairman was thrown into uncertainty this week after he made comments about potential nominees' views on abortion at a news conference in Philadelphia.

Asked about filling expected vacancies on the high court, Specter's response seemed to warn Bush not to select nominees who would overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

After a cascade of criticism from pro-life groups, Specter's office issued a statement Thursday noting that he has supported all of Bush's nominees and that his remarks were misinterpreted.

"I have never and would never apply any litmus test on the abortion issue," he said.

Conservative leaders have said they want GOP Senate leadership to allow Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., to leapfrog Specter in seniority and take over as judiciary chairman next year.

Hatch said he's not on the sidelines yet and wants to try to get Brigham Young University counsel Tom Griffith's long-delayed confirmation hearing staged before the end of the year. Griffith's nomination to the District of Columbia U.S. Court of Appeals has been mired in uncertainty after it was revealed he had not maintained his bar license in Washington and Utah.

"I don't think time has run out on that nomination," Hatch said. "I don't know we can get him through on this lame duck [session] but I am sure going to make sure he's re-nominated. The Democrats know he's the most qualified person for that seat."

The post Hatch wants most is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, where he is second in seniority to chairman Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa. But Grassley has said he intends to stay put for the remaining four years in his term, meaning Hatch can't take over until 2009.