1. CHAPTER 13: THE PRESIDENCY Section 2: Presidential Succession and the V.P.

2. Presidential Succession and the V.P. Objectives: * Explain how the Constitution provides for presidential succession. * Understand the constitutional provisions for presidential disability. * Describe the role of the Vice-President.

3. Presidential Succession and the V.P. * Forty-six men have served as Vice-President * Fourteen of them have reached the White House to become President. * Most recently was George H.W. Bush in 1989. The Constitution and Succession * Presidential Succession is a scheme by which a presidential vacancy is filled. * If a President were to die, resigns, or is removed from office by impeachment, the Vice-President becomes the President of the United States.

4. Presidential Succession and the V.P. * The Constitution did not provide for the succession of the Vice- President (when it was first written) * It declared that “the powers and duties” of the office – not the office itself – were to “devolve on (transfer to) the Vice- President. * John Tyler set this precedent in 1841 when he succeeded President William Henry Harrison who died of pneumonia just one month after taking office. * This practice became a part of the Constitution with the adoption of the 25 th Amendment in 1967. * Congress fixes the order of succession following the V.P.

5. Presidential Succession and the V.P. * The present law on the matter is the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. * By its terms, the Speaker of the House and then the President Pro Tem of the Senate are next in line. * They are followed by the other 13 heads of the Cabinet department in the order of precedence (in the order that Congress created the offices). John Bohner Patrick Leahy

6. Presidential Succession and the V.P. Presidential Disability * Before the passage of the 25 th Amendment, there were serious gaps on the arrangement for presidential succession. * Neither the Constitution nor Congress had made any provisions for deciding when a President was disabled. * Nor was there anything to indicate by whom such a decision was to be made. * For nearly 180 years, the nation played with fate.

7. Presidential Succession and the V.P. * President Eisenhower suffered three serious but temporary illnesses while in office. 1) heart attack in 1955 2) ileitis (inflammation of the intestine) in 1956 3) a mild stroke in 1957 * Two other presidents were disabled for much longer periods. 1) James Garfield lingered for 80 days before he died from an assassin’s bullet in 1881. 2) Woodrow Wilson – stroke in 1919 – did not run 2x

8. Presidential Succession and the V.P. * Sections 3 and 4 of the 25 th Amendment deals with the disability gap in detail. * The Vice-President is to become action president if 1) the President informs Congress, in writing, “that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office”. 2) the Vice-President and a majority of the members of the Cabinet inform Congress in writing that the President is so incapacitated. * The President may resume his duties of office by informing Congress that no inability exists.

9. Presidential Succession and the V.P. * The Vice-President and the majority of the cabinet may challenge the President on this issue if they feel like he is not able to perform his duties of office. * The Disability provision has come into play only one time. * In 1985 (July 03 rd ), this was for only a few hours. * Ronald Reagan had a malignant tumor on his intestine and needed surgery. * Vice-President George H.W. Bush took the oath of office while Reagan had surgery. * Once Reagan awoke, he reclaimed his powers.

10. Presidential Succession and the V.P. The Vice Presidency * John Adams once said “I am the Vice President. In this I am nothing, but I may be everything”. * The nation’s first vice president * These words are very appropriate for the vice president. * The Constitution pays little attention to the office of the Vice-President. * It assigns the position only two formal duties: 1) to preside over the Senate 2) to help decide the question of presidential disability

11. Presidential Succession and the V.P. * Beyond that, the Vice-President is basically a “President- in-waiting”. * The office of the vice president is treated as an office of little consequence and the butt of many jokes. * John Adams once remarked about his office, “it is the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived”. * The office of the Vice-President is an important office. * Eight Presidents have died in office and one resigned.

12. Presidential Succession and the V.P. * Traditionally each party (Republicans and Democrats) choose their V.P. candidates at the party conventions. * They are hand-picked by the candidate running for President. * The President tries to pick someone who will “balance the ticket” – a candidate who can strengthen his chance (the president) of winning the election. * The vice presidency has been vacant 18 times thus far. * Nine times by succession to the presidency and twice by resignation and seven times by death.

13. Presidential Succession and the V.P. * Many people have long urged that the Vice-President be given a large role in the executive branch. * The more recent Presidents have in fact made greater use of their VPs. * Dick Cheney was regarded as the most influential Vice- President ever. * President Ford had him as Chief of Staff (1975-1977) * President George H.W. Bush had him as Secretary of Defense (1989-1993). * No President has upgraded the office of VP

14. Presidential Succession and the V.P. * None of the V.P. have had a role of assistant president. * The V.P. is not subject to the ultimate discipline of removal from office. * The V.P. is elected by the people, not appointed by the President. * The President cannot fire the Vice-President, although he can force the V.P. off the ticket or ask him to resign.