"THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW" STARTS RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT NOW. GOOD EVENING RACHEL.

GOOD EVENING RACHEL. >> GOOD EVENING, CHRIS.

>> GOOD EVENING, CHRIS. >>> THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS

>>> THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS HOUR.

HOUR. YOU MAY BE HEARING THE BREAKING

YOU MAY BE HEARING THE BREAKING NEWS AT THIS HOUR THAT RUTH

NEWS AT THIS HOUR THAT RUTH BADER GINSBURG HAS BEEN

BADER GINSBURG HAS BEEN HOSPITALIZED TODAY.

HOSPITALIZED TODAY. THE NEWS FROM THE ASSOCIATED

THE NEWS FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BEGAN HAS A ONE-SENTENCE

PRESS BEGAN HAS A ONE-SENTENCE STORY THAT SAID IN TOTAL, QUOTE,

STORY THAT SAID IN TOTAL, QUOTE, SUPREME COURT SAYS JUSTICE RUTH

SUPREME COURT SAYS JUSTICE RUTH BADEN GINSBURG HOSPITALIZED WITH

BADEN GINSBURG HOSPITALIZED WITH INFECTION.

INFECTION. JUSTICE GINSBURG IS 87 YEARS

JUSTICE GINSBURG IS 87 YEARS OLD.

OLD. SHE HAS FOUGHT OFF CANCER OF THE

SHE HAS FOUGHT OFF CANCER OF THE PANCREAS AND CANCER OF THE LUNG.

PANCREAS AND CANCER OF THE LUNG. AS OF JANUARY OF THIS YEAR SHE

AS OF JANUARY OF THIS YEAR SHE DECLARED HERSELF TO BE

DECLARED HERSELF TO BE CANCER-FREE.

CANCER-FREE. BUT TONIGHT SHE IS BACK IN THE

BUT TONIGHT SHE IS BACK IN THE HOSPITAL, AND IT IS APPARENTLY

HOSPITAL, AND IT IS APPARENTLY BECAUSE OF HER GALLBLADDER.

BECAUSE OF HER GALLBLADDER. THE U.S. SUPREME COURT HAS NOW

THE U.S. SUPREME COURT HAS NOW RELEASED A STATEMENT ABOUT IT.

RELEASED A STATEMENT ABOUT IT. IT SAYS, QUOTE, JUSTICE RUTH

IT SAYS, QUOTE, JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG UNDERWENT

BADER GINSBURG UNDERWENT NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR ACUTE

NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR ACUTE CHOLOE CYSTITIS, A BENIGN

CHOLOE CYSTITIS, A BENIGN GALLBLADDER CONDITION IN

GALLBLADDER CONDITION IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. FOLLOWING ORAL ARGUMENTS ON

FOLLOWING ORAL ARGUMENTS ON MONDAY, JUSTICE GINSBURG

MONDAY, JUSTICE GINSBURG UNDERWENT OUTPATIENT TESTS IN

UNDERWENT OUTPATIENT TESTS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. THOSE TESTS CONFIRMED SHE WAS

THOSE TESTS CONFIRMED SHE WAS SUFFERING FROM A GALLSTONE THAT

SUFFERING FROM A GALLSTONE THAT MIGRATED TO HER CYSTIC DUCT,

MIGRATED TO HER CYSTIC DUCT, BLOCKING IT AND CAUSING

BLOCKING IT AND CAUSING INFECTION.

INFECTION. THE JUSTICE IS RESTING

THE JUSTICE IS RESTING COMFORTABLY AND PLANS TO

COMFORTABLY AND PLANS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ORAL ARGUMENT

PARTICIPATE IN THE ORAL ARGUMENT TELECONFERENCE TOMORROW MORNING

TELECONFERENCE TOMORROW MORNING REMOTELY FROM THE HOSPITAL.

REMOTELY FROM THE HOSPITAL. SHE EXPECTS TO STAY IN THE

SHE EXPECTS TO STAY IN THE HOSPITAL A DAY OR TWO.

HOSPITAL A DAY OR TWO. JOINING ME NOW IS PETE WILLIAMS,

JOINING ME NOW IS PETE WILLIAMS, JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT, FOR THE

JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT, FOR THE LATEST ON THIS NEWS.

LATEST ON THIS NEWS. PETE, THANKS SO MUCH FOR MAKING

PETE, THANKS SO MUCH FOR MAKING TIME TO JOIN US TONIGHT.

TIME TO JOIN US TONIGHT. I APPRECIATE IT.

I APPRECIATE IT. >> SURE THINK ABOUT HOW TOUGH

>> SURE THINK ABOUT HOW TOUGH GINSBURG IS AT 87.

GINSBURG IS AT 87. SHE TAKES PART ON THE FIRST ORAL

SHE TAKES PART ON THE FIRST ORAL ARGUMENT IN THE PANDEMIC ON

ARGUMENT IN THE PANDEMIC ON MONDAY.

MONDAY. THEN SHE GOES TO A HOSPITAL HERE

THEN SHE GOES TO A HOSPITAL HERE IN WASHINGTON WHERE THEY

IN WASHINGTON WHERE THEY DIAGNOSE THIS CONDITION.

DIAGNOSE THIS CONDITION. SHE TAKES PART TODAY IN THE

SHE TAKES PART TODAY IN THE TELEPHONE CONFERENCE THIS

TELEPHONE CONFERENCE THIS MORNING.

MORNING. THEN SHE GOES UP TO BALTIMORE.

THEN SHE GOES UP TO BALTIMORE. THEN SHE HAS THE TREATMENT FOR

THEN SHE HAS THE TREATMENT FOR THE COAL YO CYSTITIS.

THE COAL YO CYSTITIS. SHE'LL BE BACK ON THE PHONE

SHE'LL BE BACK ON THE PHONE TOMORROW MORNING.

TOMORROW MORNING. SHE WON'T MISS ANY ORAL

SHE WON'T MISS ANY ORAL ARGUMENT.

ARGUMENT. HER HEALTH HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT

HER HEALTH HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF THE INTENSE INTEREST.

OF THE INTENSE INTEREST. SHE HAD SURGERY FOR CANCER.

SHE HAD SURGERY FOR CANCER. I SUSPECT ONE REASON SHE WANTS

I SUSPECT ONE REASON SHE WANTS TO BE ON THE PHONE TOMORROW IS

TO BE ON THE PHONE TOMORROW IS THAT IT'S THE SUBJECT IMPORTANT

THAT IT'S THE SUBJECT IMPORTANT TO HER.

TO HER. THE COURT WILL HEAR ARGUMENTS IN

THE COURT WILL HEAR ARGUMENTS IN THE CASE ABOUT WHETHER THE TRUMP

THE CASE ABOUT WHETHER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CAN GO AHEAD WITH

ADMINISTRATION CAN GO AHEAD WITH ITS PLAN TO GIVE MORE EXCEPTIONS

ITS PLAN TO GIVE MORE EXCEPTIONS TO EMPLOYERS WHO WANT TO CITE A

TO EMPLOYERS WHO WANT TO CITE A RELIGIOUS OR MORAL EXEMPTIONS OR

RELIGIOUS OR MORAL EXEMPTIONS OR MORAL REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING

MORAL REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING CONTRACEPTIVE COVERAGE TO THEIR

CONTRACEPTIVE COVERAGE TO THEIR EMPLOYEES.

EMPLOYEES. >> YEAH.

>> YEAH. AN ISSUE QUITE NEAR AND DEAR TO

AN ISSUE QUITE NEAR AND DEAR TO HER.

HER. PETE, NEITHER YOU NOR I IS A

PETE, NEITHER YOU NOR I IS A DOCTOR.

DOCTOR. SO, TELL ME IF I'M ASKING

SO, TELL ME IF I'M ASKING SOMETHING HERE THAT IS BEYOND

SOMETHING HERE THAT IS BEYOND OUR KIN.

OUR KIN. I AM FOCUSED ON TWO WORDS FROM

I AM FOCUSED ON TWO WORDS FROM THIS STATEMENT FROM THE SUPREME

THIS STATEMENT FROM THE SUPREME COURT TONIGHT.

COURT TONIGHT. ONE, THIS WAS A NON-SURGICAL

ONE, THIS WAS A NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT.

TREATMENT. ANY TIME ANYONE AGED 87 IS

ANY TIME ANYONE AGED 87 IS HAVING SURGERY, THAT ITSELF

HAVING SURGERY, THAT ITSELF OBVIOUSLY BECOMES SOMETHING YOU

OBVIOUSLY BECOMES SOMETHING YOU WORRY ABOUT JUST IN TERMS OF THE

WORRY ABOUT JUST IN TERMS OF THE STRAIN ON THE BODY.

STRAIN ON THE BODY. ALSO THAT THIS IS DESCRIBED AS A

ALSO THAT THIS IS DESCRIBED AS A BENIGN GALLBLADDER CONDITION,

BENIGN GALLBLADDER CONDITION, MEANING IT'S NOT ASSOCIATED WITH

MEANING IT'S NOT ASSOCIATED WITH CANCER.

CANCER. IT'S AN INFECTION RELATED TO A

IT'S AN INFECTION RELATED TO A GALLSTONE.

GALLSTONE. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S

THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S LIKELY TO CAUSE CONTINUAL OR

LIKELY TO CAUSE CONTINUAL OR CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS.

CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS. DOES THAT SEEM LIKE A FAIR

DOES THAT SEEM LIKE A FAIR READING OF WHAT THE COURT IS

READING OF WHAT THE COURT IS TELLING US TONIGHT?

TELLING US TONIGHT? >> IT DOES.

>> IT DOES. I'M NOT A DOCTOR EITHER, BUT I

I'M NOT A DOCTOR EITHER, BUT I LIVE WITH ONE WHO'S BEEN

LIVE WITH ONE WHO'S BEEN EXPLAINING TO ME THAT THE CYSTIC

EXPLAINING TO ME THAT THE CYSTIC DUCT WHICH IS WHAT WAS BLOCKED

DUCT WHICH IS WHAT WAS BLOCKED HERE IS WHAT CONNECTS THE

HERE IS WHAT CONNECTS THE GALLBLADDER TO THE PLUMBING THAT

GALLBLADDER TO THE PLUMBING THAT IN TURN GOES INTO THE INTESTINE

IN TURN GOES INTO THE INTESTINE TO HELP WITH DIGESTION.

TO HELP WITH DIGESTION. SO, SOMEBODY GETS A GALLSTONE

SO, SOMEBODY GETS A GALLSTONE LIKE THIS IS COMMONLY TREATED

LIKE THIS IS COMMONLY TREATED WITH ULTRASOUND TO BREAK UP THE

WITH ULTRASOUND TO BREAK UP THE GALLSTONE.

GALLSTONE. SURGERY WOULDN'T BE THE NORMAL

SURGERY WOULDN'T BE THE NORMAL THING FOR TREATMENT OF A

THING FOR TREATMENT OF A GALLSTONE.

GALLSTONE. AND THEN USUALLY ANTIBIOTICS ARE

AND THEN USUALLY ANTIBIOTICS ARE ADMINISTERED TO TAKE CARE OF THE

ADMINISTERED TO TAKE CARE OF THE INFECTION WHICH IS WHAT THE

INFECTION WHICH IS WHAT THE CHOLOECYSTITIS.

CHOLOECYSTITIS. >> DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE

>> DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE ANY CHANGES THAT WILL HAVE TO GO

ANY CHANGES THAT WILL HAVE TO GO INTO EFFECT TO HAVE THE JUSTICE

INTO EFFECT TO HAVE THE JUSTICE ON THE TELECONFERENCE TOMORROW

ON THE TELECONFERENCE TOMORROW FOR THE ARGUMENTS FROM THE

FOR THE ARGUMENTS FROM THE HOSPITAL AS OPPOSED TO FROM HER

HOSPITAL AS OPPOSED TO FROM HER OFFICE OR HOME OR WHERE SHE

OFFICE OR HOME OR WHERE SHE WOULD OTHERWISE BE PARTICIPATED?

WOULD OTHERWISE BE PARTICIPATED? >> I CAN'T IMAGINE.

>> I CAN'T IMAGINE. I'M SURE SHE WOULD JUST TELL

I'M SURE SHE WOULD JUST TELL EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM TO SHUT UP

EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM TO SHUT UP SO SHE CAN DO IT BY PHONE.

SO SHE CAN DO IT BY PHONE. THIS IS ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES TO

THIS IS ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES TO DOING IT ON PHONE.

DOING IT ON PHONE. SHE TAKES PRIDE IN NOT MISSING

SHE TAKES PRIDE IN NOT MISSING ARGUMENTS.

ARGUMENTS. SHE MISSED A FEW EARLY THIS

SHE MISSED A FEW EARLY THIS YEAR.

YEAR. SHE HAD WHAT THE CHIEF JUSTICE

SHE HAD WHAT THE CHIEF JUSTICE DESCRIBED

DESCRIBED DESCRIBED AS A STOMACH BUG,

DESCRIBED AS A STOMACH BUG, COPING WITH THE FLU HAS MANY

COPING WITH THE FLU HAS MANY PEOPLE WERE IN WASHINGTON.

PEOPLE WERE IN WASHINGTON. SHE WON'T HAVE TO MISS THIS ONE.

SHE WON'T HAVE TO MISS THIS ONE. SHE CAN DO IT RIGHT FROM HER

SHE CAN DO IT RIGHT FROM HER HOSPITAL ROOM.

HOSPITAL ROOM. >> PETE WILLIAMS, THANKS FOR

>> PETE WILLIAMS, THANKS FOR TAKING TIME TO HELP US

TAKING TIME TO HELP US UNDERSTAND IT, PETE.

UNDERSTAND IT, PETE. I APPRECIATE IT.

I APPRECIATE IT. >> MY PLEASURE.

>> MY PLEASURE. >> WE ARE GOING TO KEEP AN EYE

>> WE ARE GOING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS STORY.

ON THIS STORY. WE'LL BRING YOU UPDATES AS WE

WE'LL BRING YOU UPDATES AS WE GET THEM.

GET THEM. BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE SUPREME

BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE SUPREME COURT HAS ANNOUNCED THAT JUSTICE

COURT HAS ANNOUNCED THAT JUSTICE GINSBURG, 87 YEARS OLD AND ALL

GINSBURG, 87 YEARS OLD AND ALL OF ABOUT THREE POUNDS, UNDERWENT

OF ABOUT THREE POUNDS, UNDERWENT NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR

NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR ESSENTIALLY A GALLSTONE

ESSENTIALLY A GALLSTONE SITUATION AT JOHNS HOPKINS

SITUATION AT JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL IN BALTIMORE.

HOSPITAL IN BALTIMORE. SHE WAS IN TELECONFERENCE ORAL

SHE WAS IN TELECONFERENCE ORAL ARGUMENTS YESTERDAY BEFORE

ARGUMENTS YESTERDAY BEFORE UNDERGOING TESTS THAT REVEALED

UNDERGOING TESTS THAT REVEALED THE CONDITION THAT NEEDED TO BE

THE CONDITION THAT NEEDED TO BE TREATED.

TREATED. SHE WAS TREATED TODAY.

SHE WAS TREATED TODAY. SHE EXPECTS TO BE BACK IN THE

SHE EXPECTS TO BE BACK IN THE TELECONFERENCE FOR ORAL

TELECONFERENCE FOR ORAL ARGUMENTS TOMORROW MORNING.