West Wing fans: here's a conspiracy thought...

[T Roosevelt]

Just watching the season finale tonight, and it struck me at the ease and convenience of the succession of the speaker to the presidency.

Perhaps I've been on DU too much, but suppose...

- once the VP stepped down, that left an opening
- the repubs had the House, and so the Speaker position
- place the Pres in a compromised position by kidnapping the daughter, almost forcing him to invoke the 25th Amendment

And they gain the WH without having to win an election.

Also two questions on process:
1. How is a new VP chosen?
2. How is the Speaker forced to step down and return power to the elected president?

[Ilsa]

1. Just guessing.

Isn't the VP nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate?

Just guessing.

[liberalhistorian]

2. Those are good points that I'm sure a lot of people

are thinking about. BTW, I only saw the last fifteen minutes of West Wing tonight, and I've rarely had a chance to see it this season. Why did President Bartlett have to step down?

[Ilsa]

5. His daughter was kidnapped

by a foreign faction whose leader he had disposed of (head of "Kumar"). During an incident where a small plane had some radio and transponder signals near a nuclear power plant, he almost ordered the F-15s to destroy it, but didn't. I think at that point he felt he wasn't in the best position to be doing what is best for the country (to bomb or not to omb "Kumar") when his own daugher's life is hanging in the balance.

[T Roosevelt]

6. Bartlett's daughter was kidnapped

apparently by some terrorist group out of a Middle East or East African nation (forgot the name, though probably fake). Definitely in the Gulf region.

He invoked the 25th Amendment since he felt himself mentally unable to make decisions. Since no VP, the Speaker was next in line.

[Dookus]

15. Actually....

the constitution is silent on this issue. If a president resigns or dies in the absence of a VP, it is presumed that the Speaker take over, but it's not clearly prescribed in the constitution.

Given the situation on the West Wing, he could've appointed a replacement VP and, given a cooperative Senate, had it approved almost immediately.

But hopefully we'll never have to face the situation, because it could lead to a constitutional mess.

[Catch22Dem]

3. I don't remember the details

But I thought that was all addressed in the show. Interested to see where this goes. Especially without Sorkin's genius. I hope the show doesn't start to suck now that he's moved on.

[dsc]

4. We will find out soon I take it

The commericals for next week's episode seemed to be discussing the new President wanting to appoint a new VP. What I remember from history class is that the VP would have to be approved by the House and Senate. On both the West Wing and in real life both are Republican right now.

[BattyDem]

7. Wouldn't the election still go on?

When Ford took over for Nixon, the presidential election went on as scheduled.

The line of succession is there in case of a crisis and we lose both the Pres. and the VP - it has nothing to do with the elections. I don't see why there wouldn't be an election, but then again, the Repukes constantly make up their own rules so anything is possible.


edited for spelling

[T Roosevelt]

8. This was not election-related

It's mid-term - the pres is stepping aside temporarily, the VP had resigned earlier because of a scandal, so the Speaker is next in line.

[BattyDem]

11. Oops. I misunderstood ...

I watch The West Wing and I know Bartlett stepped down, but I thought you were applying your conspiracy theory to real-life, using Bartlett's situation as an example. (What if the Repukes pulled something like this before the election?)

Silly me - I guess I've been reading DU too much as well! :silly:

[truebrit71]

9. John Goodman only did one or two episodes so...

..President Bartlett takes back the reins soon....

I will be interested to see how the show progresses with the change in writers....

[T Roosevelt]

10. But what is the process for taking back the position?

How is the Speaker required to step down?

[Orangepeel]

12. I would imagine an executive order giving the speaker power...

...would have constraints. It probably expires on a certain date unless renewed or is in effect until such time as ________.

[dsc]

14. My best guess is that

the President would simply rescind it with the approval of the cabinent.

[2bfree]

13. Have you seen that West Wing is coming out on DVD soon?

I think early November, can't wait! I cried the first time they aired the cliffhanger episode (the part where Goodman tells Bartlet to hit the road at the end), I hope this season is better than the last one.