1. LEARNING OBJECTIVES/ GOALS/ SWBAT
STANDARD(S) ADDRESSED: 12.4 Students analyze the unique roles and responsibilities of the 3 branches of government.
CH 13-SEC 2
LEARNING OBJECTIVES/ GOALS/ SWBAT
Explain how the Constitution provides for presidential succession.
Understand the constitutional provisions relating to presidential disability.
Describe the role of the Vice President.

2. A BULLDOG ALWAYS
Commitment
Attitude
CARES
Respect
Encouragement
Safety

3. QUIZ!
First & Last Name
Fill in your
ID NUMBER!
CH-13-2

4. Key Terms
25th Amendment : defines what is presidential incapacitation.
Order of Succession: list the order of replacements for the president
presidential succession: the scheme by which a presidential vacancy is filled

5. Additional Key Terms
balance the ticket: the practice of choosing a vice presidential running mate who can strengthen the presidential candidate’s chance of being elected
Presidential Succession Act of 1947: the current law fixing the order of succession to the presidency after the Vice President

7. State of the Union Address

8. Introduction
What occurs when the President is unable to perform the duties of the office?
If a President dies, resigns, or is removed by impeachment, the Vice President succeeds to the presidency.
If the President is temporarily incapacitated, the Vice President becomes Acting President until the President can resume office.

9. Presidential Succession
The Vice President succeeded the President nine times in U.S. history, beginning with John Tyler replacing William Harrison in 1841.
At first, the Vice President technically assumed only the powers and duties of the presidency.

10. Presidential Succession, cont.
However, the custom was that the Vice President took the presidential office as well.
NOTE TO TEACHERS: The above photo shows Lyndon B. Johnson being sworn into office, after President Kennedy’s assassination.

11. Presidential Succession, cont.
Under the 25th Amendment,
adopted in 1967,
The Vice President now formally assumes
the office of President.
NOTE TO TEACHERS: The above photo shows Lyndon B. Johnson being sworn into office, after President Kennedy’s assassination.

12. Order of Succession
The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 sets the order of succession after the Vice President.
The presiding officers of Congress are followed by the heads of the cabinet departments in the order that they were created.

14. 3. president pro tempore of the Senate
Guided Reading:
Guided Reading:
The Order of Succession to the Presidency
Vice President
2. Speaker of the House
3. president pro tempore of the Senate
4. secretary of state **(first cabinet officer)
5. secretary of the treasury

15. Presidential Disability
In 1981, President Reagan was badly wounded in an assassination attempt. 15

16. Presidential Disability
For many years, there were no provisions for deciding if a President was too disabled to continue in office.
Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke in 1919 and was too ill to meet with his cabinet for seven months.
President Eisenhower had three serious but temporary illnesses while in office. 16

17. Presidential Disability, cont.
The 25th Amendment addressed the disability issue. The Vice President becomes Acting President if:
The President informs Congress, in writing, that he or she cannot carry out the powers and duties of the office, OR
NOTE TO TEACHERS: This clause has been enacted briefly on three times during medical procedures: once by Reagan in 1985, and twice by George W. Bush, first in 2002 and then 2007. 17

18. Presidential Disability, cont.
The Vice President and a majority of the members of the Cabinet inform Congress, in writing, that the President is incapacitated (with a majority vote in congress)
NOTE TO TEACHERS: This clause has been enacted briefly on three times during medical procedures: once by Reagan in 1985, and twice by George W. Bush, first in 2002 and then 2007. 18

19. Acting Presidents Presidential Post: 25th Amendment
George H. W. Bush (1985)
On July 12, 1985, President Ronald Reagan underwent a colonoscopy, during which a pre-cancerous lesion called a villous adenoma was discovered.
Upon being told by his physician (Dr. Edward Cattow) that he could undergo surgery immediately or in two to three weeks, Reagan elected to have it removed immediately.

20. Acting Presidents Presidential Post: 25th Amendment
Dick Cheney (2002; 2007)
On June 29, 2002, President George W. Bush underwent a colonoscopy and chose to invoke Section 3 of the amendment, temporarily transferring his powers to Vice President Dick Cheney.
The medical procedure began at 7:09 a.m. EDT and ended at 7:29 a.m. EDT. Bush woke up twenty minutes later, but did not resume his presidential powers and duties until 9:24 a.m. EDT after the president's doctor, Richard Tubb, conducted an overall examination.

21. Guided Reading: 6. The 25th Amendment
States that the Vice President may temporarily take over the duties of the presidency if the President so requests or if the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet inform Congress that such a move is necessary.
The President may then resume his or her duties with the approval of the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet.

22. The Vice Presidency
Checkpoint: What are the formal duties of the Vice President?
The Constitution gives the Vice President two formal duties:
to be President of the Senate & preside over the Senate, and
to help decide if the President is disabled (under the 25th Amendment).
Otherwise, the Vice President must be ready to assume the duties of the presidency if necessary.
Checkpoint Answer: The Vice President’s only formal duties are to preside over the Senate, to help determine if the President is disabled, and to be ready to assume the duties of the presidency if needed. 22

23. Guided Reading:
7. The Vice President's constitutional duties are:
to preside over the Senate and
to help decide presidential disability.

24. The Vice Presidency, cont.
Historically, the office of Vice President has had low status.
Often the vice presidential candidate is chosen because he or she can balance the ticket,

25. The Vice Presidency, cont.
Balancing the tickets:
helping the president get elected due to personal characteristics such as ideology, geographic background, race, ethnicity, or gender.
This puts little emphasis on the presidential qualities possessed by a vice presidential candidate.

26. The Vice Presidency Today
Recent Vice Presidents have had more political experience and influence.
Dick Cheney is widely viewed as the most influential vice president in history.
Joe Biden, right, brought years of foreign policy experience to his office.
NOTE TO TEACHERS: The above image shows Vice President Joe Biden addressing the press.

27. Guided Reading:
Guided Reading:
8. Vice Presidents are usually chosen
to "balance the ticket," thus improving the presidential candidate's chances of winning the election.

28. The Vice Presidency Today, cont.
No Vice President has been given as much power as the President, in part because the President cannot remove the Vice President.
What does this cartoon imply about the growth of the power of the Vice President?
QUESTION:
If the spare tire in your car is flat, can you still drive your car?
Political Cartoon Question Answer: This cartoon implies that the Vice President has gained too much power, because the boy’s question assumes that the nation will be endangered if something happens to the Vice President while the President is still around.

29. Vice Presidential Vacancy
The vice presidency has been left vacant nine times by succession, seven times by death, and twice by resignation.

30. Vice Presidential Vacancy
Under the 25th Amendment, the President can fill a vice presidential vacancy by
the President nominates a Vice President, who must be confirmed by both houses of Congress.
In 1973, Gerald Ford became the first Vice President appointed in this fashion.

31. Guided Reading:
Guided Reading:
Filling the vacancy?
The 25th Amendment states that the President nominates a new Vice President and that nomination must be confirmed by a majority vote of both houses.

32. Presidential Succession
NOTE TO TEACHERS: This clause has been enacted briefly on three times during medical procedures: once by Reagan in 1985, and twice by George W. Bush, first in 2002 and then 2007. 32

33. 10. Presidential Succession:
Guided Reading:
Guided Reading:
10. Presidential Succession:
the order in which lesser officials take over the duties of the presidency in case those above them die, resign, or are removed from office

34. The Vice Presidency, cont.
Often the vice presidential candidate is chosen because he or she can balance the ticket,

35. Guided Reading: Guided Reading: 11. Balance the Ticket:
presidential candidate chooses a running mate who can strengthen his or her chance of being elected by virtue of ideological, geographic, racial, ethnic, gender, or other characteristics

36. Review
Now that you have learned about what occurs when the President is unable to perform the duties of the office, go back and answer the Chapter Essential Question.
Does the current electoral process result in the best candidates for President?

37. QUIZ!
First & Last Name
Fill in your
ID NUMBER!
CH-13-2