#presidential succession

[deadpresidents]

Did you watch the pbs documentary on the vice presidents yet and what did you think? And what vp that never became president do you think would have been best qualified to be president?

Yes, I was very much looking forward to PBS American Experience's "The American Vice President," and watched it as soon as it was released. I'm basically the target audience for documentaries like that, so I always appreciate and enjoy them. I will say that I thought that there were a lot of missed opportunities in it, however. I was really hoping that there would be some short biographical pieces on the various Vice Presidents, particularly many of the earlier VPs that nobody knows anything about. There are some really fascinating stories that could have been told about them, so I was a little bummed we didn't get that.

For the most part, the episode focused on the idea of the Vice Presidency as opposed to individual Vice Presidents. And it spent a lot of time on succession and the 25th Amendment. Now, that is no surprise -- that's basically the reason the Vice President exists in the first place. But at times it felt more like a documentary on continuity of government than the Vice Presidency, and I just wish there would have been more time spent on the personalities who have served in the position over the past 235 years.

As for the second part of your question, I'm going to do what the documentary largely did and answer based on the Vice Presidents since World War II. Once the nuclear age was upon us, the Vice Presidency became a more important role for those continuity of government reasons, and the quality and experience of most Vice Presidential candidates has improved during that time because it was more necessary to choose a running mate who was capable of actually taking over as President than balancing the ticket regionally or ideologically.

Since World War II, I think the Vice President who was best equipped to become President but never did was obviously Al Gore. I have always been shocked that Gore never made another run for the White House after 2000, but I also imagine that it must be an absolutely soul-crushing experience to run for President, seemingly win (and definitely win the popular vote), only to have the Presidency awarded to your opponent by a party-line decision of the United States Supreme Court.

Another post-World War II VP who never became President in his own right but probably would have been good in the job was Nelson Rockefeller. Because of the circumstances and brevity of his time as Vice President, Rockefeller is often forgotten about, but he was considered a real contender for the Presidency on numerous occasions before he was appointed to fill the Vice Presidential vacancy created when Gerald Ford succeeded Richard Nixon in the White House after Nixon resigned. Rockefeller won four elections as Governor of New York, all by comfortable margins, and he never achieved his Presidential goal because the timing was just never right for him. His best bet as a Presidential candidate should have been 1964 or 1968, but after JFK's assassination, few Republicans wanted to run against LBJ less than a year later (and with good reason, LBJ's popular vote landslide was huge). And by the time the 1968 election rolled around it became clear that Richard Nixon had spent his years in political exile following his humiliating loss in the 1962 California Gubernatorial race building a powerful campaign machine that helped sweep him into office. But when it comes to experience, few VPs were better qualified than Vice President Rockefeller.

If you haven't seen "The American Vice President" from PBS's American Experience, I would definitely recommend checking it out. You can watch it (and many of American Experience's other excellent documentaries) on the PBS website. It's also currently available to watch for free via the PBS feed on YouTube.

[nodynasty4us]

From the January 16, 2023 explainer:

Until 1886, the pro tem [of the Senate] was second in line, after the vice president. Then the law was changed to put the cabinet ahead of the pro tem and speaker. In 1947, the order was changed again, making it the vice president, the speaker, the pro tem, and then the cabinet.

There is a good case to put the cabinet ahead of the leaders of Congress again....

If the cabinet officials came after the vice president, then the same party would be in charge. If Secretary of State Tony Blinken suddenly found himself in the Oval Office, he would not fire anyone and the government would continue. Over time, he might replace a few people he didn't like, but it would not be the gigantic disruption that switching parties at the top would be.

[gpstudios]

National Veep Day: Celebrating the Role of the U.S. Vice President

Celebrate National Veep Day on August 9th by recognizing the crucial role of the Vice President in the U.S. government. Learn about the history of the Vice Presidency, its responsibilities, and the notable individuals who have served in this vital office.

Every year on August 9th, the United States observes National Veep Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the importance and responsibilities of the Vice President of the United States. While the President often takes center stage in American politics, the role of the Vice President—affectionately known as the “Veep”—is equally vital, especially in times of transition or crisis. National Veep Day…

[lefemmerougewriter]

Flight of the Eagle and the Rise of President Sandiego

Carmen begins her plan to seize power in the most powerful country on Earth. Can Zack and Ivy stop her before it is too late?

Characters: Carmen Sandiego, Zack, Ivy, The Chief, Mr. X (Original character)

Friendships: Zack and Ivy

Romantic pairings: None

Words: 774

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/53671957

Wattpad: N/A

Quotev: N/A

A/N: I originally wrote this short fic on my phone a while back, but decided to finish it up before publication. It is a pretty wild ride. I might end up continuing it one day.

The date was January 27, 2000. Explosions rocked the joint session of Congress where President Bill Clinton was giving his State of the Union address. He and his cabinet advisors were incapacitated by the rubble. The designated survivor for an event such of this was Bill Richardson, then the Secretary of Energy. However, he never had a chance. He was quickly kidnapped and disappeared to who knows where. The screen cackled and a broadcast came on every channel. A voice began speaking. It came from a woman dressed in red fedora, coat, and red high-heels. It was the infamous Carmen Sandiego.

"Fellow Americans, you may know me as the infamous thief known across the world. But, like all of you, I am interested in order and bringing the criminals who perpetrated this horrible crime to justice. In a time of great turmoil, we need order, instead of disorder. With my organization and ability, I can bring stability to this country. As of now, I am assuming the office of the Presidency of the United States and will bring the wicked criminals who did this to justice. I would like to say..."

The screen turned off. Ivy and Zack were aghast. How could Carmen engage in such a naked coup to seize power? Didn't anyone else see her plans, that she was a malicious actor? Wasn't it obvious that the explosion in Congress and the kidnapping of Bill Richardson were perpetrated by Carmen? Zack asked what everyone was thinking: "Chief, what should we do now? Everyone thinks that Carmen is a savior, bringing order and stability."

The Chief sighed. "Well, catching Carmen is still our top priority. Gumshoes, I don't trust her cleaned up act. You need to nab her...in the act, and stop this coup d'etat." Ivy took his words to heart. She declared, "Player, C5 us to the Oval Office, White House, Washington, D.C." The narrator began speaking.

"You are leaving sunny, San Francisco, and going to Washington, D.C., the capital of the U.S.A. The White House was first built in the 1790s but was burned down by the British on August 24, 1814. It was then rebuilt, with work by enslaved and free laborers. Since then, it has been the permanent place of residence for all U.S. presidents, the center of the U.S. government and the executive branch. Next stop, Washington, D.C.!"

Zack and Ivy arrived in front of the resolute desk, surprising Carmen. She was dressed in a red suit, but with wearing her trademark red fedora, and facing away from them. Ivy, putting her hands on the desk, shouted. "Carmen, the buck stops here! You are under arrest for your terrorism, kidnapping, and an illegal coup d’état!"

Carmen chuckled like conniving hyena. She shook her head. "Oh, Ivy, how wrong you are. While you, and Zack, are here much earlier than I expected, I can use your impolite interruption to my advantage. Guards, take them away!"

Not long after, Ivy and Zack were handcuffed by the surrounding Secret Service personnel and taken away. Carmen began a new speech, again addressed at the American people. It was the perfect excuse for her to take absolute power. Zack and Ivy had played right into her hands, as she had expected. As Zack and Ivy they were taken away in cuffs, the screen crackled:

"Tonight, two individuals tried to arrest me. They wanted me behind bars. But it is them that should be imprisoned. Those two people, Zack and Ivy, are agents of a secret organization, ACME, which might as well be called the American Crime Management Extraordinaires. What we need now is a war on these evildoers. ACME must be crushed. We will hunt them down from the bay of Biscay to the shores of Tokyo. This is something that must be won, it must be victorious. I ask for your blessing in bringing these criminals to justice."

The broadcast ended. Dr. X, one of her closest advisors, was worried. He wasn't sure she was doing the right thing. He asked, "Ma'am, do we really want to destroy ACME? Wouldn't it be better to keep them around?"

Carmen brushed off his question and cackled. "Why, of course, I don't want to destroy them. They are a worthy adversary. The whole thing is a schlep. I just need them as an excuse to stay in power. There is no need to crush ACME. Instead, I will only have individual agents apprehended, using the powerful tool of extraordinary rendition. It is all too easy to commit terrorism, to instill fear for political ends.”

To be continued...

End note: For information on presidential succession, I used webpages from thoughtco, infoplease, politico, refinery29, mvets.law.gmu.edu, senate.gov, popsugar, presidency.ucsb.edu, and bestlifeonline. The Carmen Sandiego speech at the end is somewhat inspired by an Anti-Flag song, “Mind The G.A.T.T.” Also the part about the "schlep" was undoubtedly inspired by that episode of Futurama ("A Taste of Freedom") where Zoidberg's people do a show of force to convince DOOP to back off. This fic is a bit cynical of how easy it is to seize power in this country, but that's part of the point.

[carebearcody]

if the fucking president of FIFA needs to be convinced of the value of women and women's football after the most successful women's world cup to date (that still isn't over!!) his suitability for the position must be seriously questioned

[the-beacons-of-minas-tirith]

CONHEADS OUR TIME IS NOW!!! 🗳️🗳️🗳️

[fictionadventurer]

NaPoWriMo #19: A poem recounting a historical event

To a Man Commenting Upon Lincoln's Homely Features

Abraham Lincoln knew quite well He had never been beauty-graced. When Douglas met him in debate And told him he was quite two-faced, Old Lincoln made a quick reply With his usual sense of fun: "If I'd another face to wear, Do you think I would wear this one?"

[narii-min]

LET OUR VOICES BE FREE AND LOUD!!

[tangerinesayswhat]

connor roy would never let them perform transgender operations on illegal aliens in prisons

[deadpresidents]

Hi! If President Biden were to resign, say, November 15, 2024, would that really mean Kamala Harris would be President until Inauguration Day? (I know this will not happen; I saw the scenario as a joke on Tumblr and was just wondering.) Thanks, and take care.

Yes, absolutely. Even if Biden resigned or died at 10:30 AM on January 20, 2025, Kamala Harris would be President of the United States for 90 minutes until Trump was inaugurated. The VP fully assumes the office whenever there is a vacancy.

[supermarketcrush]

what if i said after jeryd mencken is officially president he gets a dog at the white house and names it remus

[grinchwrapsupreme]

The idea of connor finding out about all this is so funny to me like he is literally living on the borders of this show, his siblings leave his house on a united front to save the company and they come back having lost the company, ken on good terms with no one, roman with new stitches, shiv somehow still with Tom, and Tom?? Somehow the new CEO?? Whatever, doesnt bother Connor, hes got some furniture to pack

[granfalloontje]

In light of the recent season 4 poster release, I just need it to be known that I’m forever obsessed with this season 3 family rejects promo poster,,, bc you just know they crafted those iconic tomgreg and romangerri posters first, and the logan vs kendall poster makes perfect sense bc that’s always been the center of the show’s marketing,,,,,, but then you’ve got these two. What do they really have in common? What important plot moments or scenes do they share in the season? This duo is so nonsensical, so devoid of context or purpose, especially when you see this alongside the other promo material. Before season 3 even aired we already knew shiv had lost the battle to be tom’s wife bc she was replaced on the poster by cousin fucking greg!! Long story short, shiv connor rejects poster you will always be famous to me <3

[lyinginthesnow]

the way the institutionalization of connor’s mom was explicitly mentioned in the last three episodes… where are they going with this. I’m intrigued

[thefabelmans2022]

ughhhh every succession video essay skips over connor and his mother and now i'm having that "should i make a succession video fully about connor" thought when i know i'll never actually do it

[flareguncalamity]

my toxic trait is that i saw a “fun fact” on a girl’s profile in a dating app, went this doesn’t fucking sound true, and spent over half an hour hunting through primary sources linked on wikipedia and learning the etymology and history of word-usage just to prove the very specific and meaningless thing she said was false and then tell her that through the dating app. she’s not even my type