1. The Vice President and Presidential Succession

2. The Vice President Same qualifications as President
Natural Born citizen
14 years resident
35 years old
Electors cannot vote for both a President and VP from their state
Effect is to require VP to be resident of a state different from the President

3. The “rather empty” job of Vice President
Preside over the Senate
Ceremonial occasions
Break Ties
Senate Leadership Powers
In the hands of Majority & Minority Leaders
Since 1947 permanent President Pro Tempore

4. Presidential Succession
Eight Presidents have died in office
Natural Causes
William H. Harrison – John Tyler
Tyler was first VP to assume office
Debate at time “Acting President”
Zachary Taylor – Millard Fillmore
Warren G. Harding – Calvin Coolidge
Franklin D. Roosevelt – Harry Truman

5. Presidential Succession
Eight Presidents have died in office
Assassinated
Abraham Lincoln – Andrew Johnson
James Garfield – Chester Arthur
William McKinley – Teddy Roosevelt
John F. Kennedy – Lyndon Johnson

6. Presidential Succession
One President resigned
Richard Nixon – Gerald Ford

7. The “Curse of 0”
Since 1840 every President elected in a 0 year has had some misfortune in office
William Henry Harrison Died in office
Abraham Lincoln Assassinated
1880 James Garfield Assassinated
1900 William McKinley Assassinated
1920 Warren Harding Died in office
1940 Franklin Roosevelt Died in office
1960 John Kennedy Assassinated
1980 Ronald Reagan Assassination attempt
2000 George Bush 9/11 & Choked on a pretzel?

8. Presidential Succession
Only 12 of 43 Presidents have served 2 terms
9 Vice Presidents have succeeded to Presidency
5 never elected to a full term
Tyler, Fillmore, A. Johnson, Arthur, Ford
4 won subsequent presidential term
T. Roosevelt, Coolidge, Truman, L.B. Johnson
3 Presidents have had impeachment proceedings
A. Johnson, Nixon, Clinton
A. Johnson & Clinton found not guilty in Senate trial
Nixon resigned before impeached
Only 5 Vice Presidents have been elected in “own right”
4 Directly- Adams, Jefferson, Van Buren, G.H. Bush (41)
Eight years later - Nixon

9. Presidential Succession Acts
Presidential Succession Act of 1797
President Pro Tempore of Senate
Speaker of the House
Cabinet Secretaries
Presidential Succession Act of 1886
Presidential Succession Act of 1947
Truman asked for, reinsert elected officials
Bumping?

10. Current order of Succession

11. The Vice President Joe Biden
Speaker of the House John Boehner
President pro tempore of the Senate Daniel Inouye
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta
Attorney General Eric Holder
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke
Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis
Secretary of H H S Kathleen Sebelius
Secretary of H U D Shaun Donovan
Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood
Secretary of Energy Steven Chu
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano

12. Designated Survivor
After the 9 – 11 terrorist attacks members of Congress have also been absent from major presidential speeches.
2006 State of the Union:
Jim Nicholson Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), President Pro Tempore of the Senate
Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND),
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA),
Rep. George Miller (D-CA)
2007 State of the Union:
Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General
Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV), President Pro Tempore of the Senate
2008 State of the Union: Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Interior
2009 Inauguration – Sec of Defense Gates
2009 State of the Union Attn General Eric Holder
2010 State of the Union Sec HUD Shaun Donovan
2011 State of the Union Sec Interior Ken Salazar

13. 25th Amendment 1967 Vice President succession
Select new Vice President
Gerald Ford
Nelson Rockefeller
Presidential Disability

14. 25th Amendment Presidential Disability (in the nuclear age)
Vice President becomes acting President
President can temporarily turn over power
Process for Cabinet to declare President incapacitated
President can challenge the declaration.
Congress decides the issue.

15. Presidential Life Expectancy
25 of 39 deceased presidents died prematurely
4 presidents have been assassinated
5 others – attempts with gun
One survived bullet wound - Reagan
Successful presidents live longer
Currently have 4 living Former Presidents.
Carter, Bush 41, Clinton, Bush 43
Carter – Mondale hold record for longest living team