1. Presidential Succession and the Vice President

2. 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

3. 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 ( ) and sought the presidency again in 1912 under the Bull Moose Party
Franklin Roosevelt: elected to 4 terms

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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”

8. 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 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.

9. 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