|
|
Post by justkat on Apr 22, 2016 21:02:23 GMT
This came up in conversation today and nobody knew the answer. I'm hoping one of the peas might?
Can a former US president serve as a new president's vice president?
Not that it would happen but, for example, could Bill Clinton be Hillary Clinton's vice president?
ETA: I'm originally from Belgium so my understanding of the US electoral process is rudimentary at best. :-)
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 29, 2024 22:35:16 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2016 21:05:30 GMT
The vice president has to be constitutionally eligible to be president, so a former president who had served two terms could not be VP. If he had only served one term, yes.
That's always been my understanding, at least.
|
|
|
|
Post by librarylady on Apr 22, 2016 21:07:10 GMT
Since the VP would take office if something happens to the President, I think we need to look at qualifications for President.
One of those is
The Twenty-second Amendment, adopted in 1951, prohibits anyone from ever being elected to the presidency for a third full term. It also prohibits a person from being elected to the presidency more than once if that person previously had served as president, or acting president, for more than two years of another person's term as president.
---so, I'd say "No."
|
|
|
|
Post by christine58 on Apr 22, 2016 21:11:46 GMT
Since the VP would take office if something happens to the President, I think we need to look at qualifications for President. One of those is The Twenty-second Amendment, adopted in 1951, prohibits anyone from ever being elected to the presidency for a third full term. It also prohibits a person from being elected to the presidency more than once if that person previously had served as president, or acting president, for more than two years of another person's term as president. ---so, I'd say "No." But he would not have been elected to the presidency if he had to become president if something happened to her...interesting question |
|
gsquaredmom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,091
Jun 26, 2014 17:43:22 GMT
|
Post by gsquaredmom on Apr 22, 2016 21:21:22 GMT
The vice president has to be constitutionally eligible to be president, so a former president who had served two terms could not be VP. If he had only served one term, yes. That's always been my understanding, at least. I believe this is correct, and if served one term, I think they can finish out the assumed term and then get elected again. Reaching back many years to government class, though! |
|
|
|
Post by anxiousmom on Apr 22, 2016 21:53:22 GMT
I was curious, so I asked Mr. Google. Apparently, the answer is murky enough that no one really is agreeing on the answer. Most sources are saying that yes, a former President can be VP. The only requirement is that they are eligible to become President. (Incidentally, there is no term limit for VP so a former VP like Mr. Biden could be eligible to be a new President's VP.) If something were to happen to the President and the former President now VP would be the one to assume office under normal circumstances. But as a former President, apparently there are a lot of answers with most saying that it would end up in the hands of the Supreme Court before a real answer is found. One suggested that the House/Senate would be able to change the succession rules and bypass the VP entirely. Great question! Thank you for asking, I learned something today.  |
|
|
|
Post by lucyg on Apr 22, 2016 22:22:27 GMT
I was curious, so I asked Mr. Google. Apparently, the answer is murky enough that no one really is agreeing on the answer. Most sources are saying that yes, a former President can be VP. The only requirement is that they are eligible to become President. (Incidentally, there is no term limit for VP so a former VP like Mr. Biden could be eligible to be a new President's VP.) If something were to happen to the President and the former President now VP would be the one to assume office under normal circumstances. But as a former President, apparently there are a lot of answers with most saying that it would end up in the hands of the Supreme Court before a real answer is found. One suggested that the House/Senate would be able to change the succession rules and bypass the VP entirely. Great question! Thank you for asking, I learned something today. This is all pretty much my line of thinking, too (history majors, unite!). I'm not sure there's anything, other than old age and general nuttiness, to keep Bill Clinton from running for VP, but I don't think he can serve as president again. So next in line would be Speaker of the House. So that would be a pretty reckless choice on the part of any candidate. I actually wouldn't mind seeing Joe Biden run again. Not that I think it would really happen. My bet is still on Julian Castro. Young, pretty, smart, trendy, and Latino.  |
|
|
|
Post by justkat on Apr 22, 2016 23:32:36 GMT
Thanks everyone for your responses. I appreciate them. :-)
I know a president can only serve two terms. I know the prerequisites for being president. But I, nor apparently my American friends lol, know anything about what a further president can do. Google was no help either as there seemed to be add baby yeses as noes (sp?)
|
|
|
|
Post by epeanymous on Apr 22, 2016 23:51:29 GMT
I am so all about Joe Biden, Veep 4 Lyfe. Should Elizabeth Warren and the sordid Al Franken (Buffy fans unite) decline an invite, may either Democratic candidate let Biden keep on keeping on.
Hillary is not picking Bill. If Bill is in the WH full time, I'd be surprised. He ain't doing get any favors right now, and she knows it.
|
|
|
|
Post by ktdoesntscrap on Apr 23, 2016 12:28:06 GMT
I think the law is very unclear.. and if we were living in House of Cards... the Clinton would be elected. I think the constitution states that a President can not be elected three times. SO a VP moving to P would not have been elected to the office. That said. I only think it would happen on HOC. |
|
|
|
Post by Skellinton on Apr 23, 2016 15:00:20 GMT
Isn't the VP elected with the President though? Aren't they both on the ballot together?
|
|
|
|
Post by lucyg on Apr 23, 2016 16:40:48 GMT
I am so all about Joe Biden, Veep 4 Lyfe. Should Elizabeth Warren and the sordid Al Franken (Buffy fans unite) decline an invite, may either Democratic candidate let Biden keep on keeping on. Hillary is not picking Bill. If Bill is in the WH full time, I'd be surprised. He ain't doing get any favors right now, and she knows it. Is that a typo or a joke, or is there actually something "sordid" about Al Franken? ETA oh, maybe it has something to do with the Buffy reference? I never watched enough Buffy. |
|
|
|
Post by epeanymous on Apr 23, 2016 17:59:13 GMT
I am so all about Joe Biden, Veep 4 Lyfe. Should Elizabeth Warren and the sordid Al Franken (Buffy fans unite) decline an invite, may either Democratic candidate let Biden keep on keeping on. Hillary is not picking Bill. If Bill is in the WH full time, I'd be surprised. He ain't doing get any favors right now, and she knows it. Is that a typo or a joke, or is there actually something "sordid" about Al Franken? ETA oh, maybe it has something to do with the Buffy reference? I never watched enough Buffy. My husband and I have been quoting the line from Buffy the Vampire Slayer for years where Buffy talks about about "the sordid Al Franken", but guess what? In response to this, I just googled the quote, and it is actually "the sword out of Al Franken." I have been making the wrong joke for almost twenty years. Egad! It was from before he was a Senator, ha ha. I really like Al Franken as a senator and have mad respect for the extent to which he has put his head down and been working as a senator, not as a celebrity. He's a pretty good example of why I can't write celebrities off who want to become politically engaged. Well, not all of them, anyhow -- I didn't ask you to weigh in, Donald Trump. |
|
|
|
Post by lucyg on Apr 23, 2016 21:03:27 GMT
Is that a typo or a joke, or is there actually something "sordid" about Al Franken? ETA oh, maybe it has something to do with the Buffy reference? I never watched enough Buffy. My husband and I have been quoting the line from Buffy the Vampire Slayer for years where Buffy talks about about "the sordid Al Franken", but guess what? In response to this, I just googled the quote, and it is actually "the sword out of Al Franken." I have been making the wrong joke for almost twenty years. Egad! It was from before he was a Senator, ha ha. I really like Al Franken as a senator and have mad respect for the extent to which he has put his head down and been working as a senator, not as a celebrity. He's a pretty good example of why I can't write celebrities off who want to become politically engaged. Well, not all of them, anyhow -- I didn't ask you to weigh in, Donald Trump. That's hilarious. Glad I was able to facilitate your correcting the joke after 20 years. I'm very impressed with Senator Franken, too. He has turned out to be quite serious about being a senator. |
|
RosieKat
Drama Llama
PeaJect #12
Posts: 5,535 
|
Post by RosieKat on Apr 23, 2016 21:13:01 GMT
Isn't the VP elected with the President though? Aren't they both on the ballot together? I'm not a Supreme Court justice, but I like to pretend I'm one on the Internet. I do think that the word "elected" is important here. For example, I *believe* I once saw something that said that Gerald Ford (theoretically) could have served two additional terms in office as he was not elected as President for the term he did serve. As far as Skellinton 's quote above, the election of Vice President would have no bearing on that same person running for President. Look at George W. Bush, who was Reagan's VP twice, but still ran for and served as President. So I think that part has precedent set and is pretty clear - you can't be elected as President more than twice, but you can be elected twice on the P/VP ticket and still be elected President. |
|
