Presidential Succession and the Vice President

I. Limits on the President’s Term 22nd Amendment: limits the number of terms to 2 Precedent Setters George Washington: served only 2 terms Most Presidents to follow would also follow his lead and would not serve any more than 2 terms

I. Limits on the President’s Term Breaking the Precedent Grover Cleveland served only once (1896); he would seek the office later as well Teddy Roosevelt: served two terms (1901-1909) and sought the presidency again in 1912 under the Bull Moose Party Franklin Roosevelt: elected to 4 terms

II. Presidential Succession & Disability 25th Amendment: President dies, Vice President becomes President Also deals with Presidential Disability: unable to fulfill his/her’s duties President must inform Congress (if able) OR… The VP and Cabinet must inform Congress (same thing) Must inform in Writing when he/she is able to return The VP and Cabinet may Challenge this – Congress has 21 days to decide if so

II. Presidential Succession & Disability Example Reagan shot by John Hinckley: gives power to Daddy Bush (VP) for 8 hours Specifies the process for selecting a new Vice President Before the 25th Amendment, there was no procedure for selecting a new VP; the office just remained open until the next election The President has the power to Appoint a new VP; Senate must confirm Example: Gerald Ford appointed as VP by Nixon after Spiro Agnew resigned

II. Presidential Succession & Disability Presidential Succession Act (1947) Refined the order of presidential succession after the VP New order after the VP: Speaker of the House President pro tempore of the Senate President’s Cabinet in order of creation

III. The Vice Presidency “I am Vice President. In this I am nothing, but I may be everything.” – John Adams Two Duties: Preside over the Senate and vote only to Break Ties Help decide the question of Presidential Disability Only a “Heartbeat Away” 8 Presidents have died in office; 1 “Resigned”

Harrison died of pneumonia, 1842 1,430/1,460 ‘DNR’ ‘VPOTUS’ …why POTUS? Days as POTUS Re-election? Tyler Harrison died of pneumonia, 1842 1,430/1,460 ‘DNR’ Filmore Taylor died from illness, 1850 969/1,460 Failed to win the nomination . Johnson Lincoln assassinated, 1865 1,419/1,460 Arthur Garfield assassinated, 1881 1,262/1,460 Roosevelt McKinley assassinated, 1901 1,267/1,460 Elected to a full term. ‘DNR’ in 1908... defeated in 1912. Coolidge Harding died of a heart attack, 1923 580/1,460 Elected to a full term. DNR’ for a 2nd term. Truman FDR died of cerebral hemorrhage, 1945 1,379/1,460 LBJ JFK assassinated, 1963 425/1,460 Ford * * Nixon resigned, 1974 895/1,460 Lost re-election to Jimmy Carter in 1976.

III. The Vice Presidency Usually handpicked by the President and usually selected to Balance the Ticket Kennedy selecting LBJ (young/old) McCain selecting Sarah Palin