The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux) - Page 293

sleepyjeff · 01-29-2008, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

Plus if Hillary or Obama chokes on a chicken bone or videotapes of a cocaine fueled orgy, I could still win my bet.

That brings up a good question. If a nominee for President dies after the convention but before the election what happens?

Alex · 01-29-2008, 03:13 PM

Vice president elect becomes president.

20th Amendment, Section 3

Quote:

Section 3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President.

This actually almost came up once. There was an assassination attempt on FDR after his first election but before inauguration (the mayor of Chicago was killed in the same attempt -- lesson to future assassins, don't stand on unstable chairs while shooting at the president). If it had been successful his vice president (I forget who that was) would have been sworn in on inauguration day.

Ghoulish Delight · 01-29-2008, 03:15 PM

Hmm, that's between election and inauguration. The question was, between party candidate selection and election.

Alex · 01-29-2008, 03:27 PM

Ah, misread.

I imagine it would vary widely by state depending on existing laws for ballot formation.

If it happens early enough I imagine the party would reconvene a convention and decide on a new nominee the old fashioned way and then would work with individual states to try and get that new candidate on the ballot instead. As it moves later into the cycle I imagine this would be more and more difficult to accomplish as when Mel Carnahan died so close to the 2000 election in Missouri and went on to defeat John Ashcroft for governor. There simply was no time.

The constitution leaves it to the states to determine how they assign their electors. So I imagine 50 states would very quickly have to pass legislation dealing with it. And then there would be years of lawsuits by whomever didn't care for the results. Remember, we don't vote for president but for electors, and those electors in almost all states are allowed to vote for whomever they want and are not required to vote for the candidate to which they are pledged. So the simplest thing would be that if the dead candidate won electors those electors would vote for a different person when the electoral college convenes (probably whomever the national party has decreed as the replacement).

Alex · 01-29-2008, 03:41 PM

An almost historical precedent.

In the election of 1872 Horace Greeley was defeated by Ulysses Grant but did win 66 electoral votes. Greeley died before the Electoral College officially met (constitutionally this is before the actual election of the president) and so 63 of his electoral simply voted for other people. 3 electors held loyal and voted for Greeley but these votes were disqualified.

sleepyjeff · 01-29-2008, 04:21 PM

Thanks...that clears it up a tad

JWBear · 01-29-2008, 06:10 PM

I suddenly have visions of a political action movie:

America's first black President (Don Cheadle) is assassinated by white supremacist weeks into his first term. The lead secret service agent (Denzel Washington - natch) assigned to the case discovers information that implicates that the female VP - now President (Helen Mirren) orchestrated the assassination. He reports his findings to the head of the Secret Service (Harvey Keitel) who, unbeknownst to the agent, is part of the conspiracy. Our hero now must fight for truth, justice, and the American way (not to mention his own life) with the help of a wacky aging Kennedy assassination conspiracy theorist (Harrison Ford) and his daughter (Liv Tyler), a DC cop.

innerSpaceman · 01-29-2008, 06:30 PM

OMG, what a great idea for our first LoT film. Post it in the LoT Film Commission Thead ASAP.

(Of course, we may have to change the casting a little ... which may effect how could a concept that is after all.)

Strangler Lewis · 01-29-2008, 06:46 PM

With gratuitous evil Wilford Brimley.

JWBear · 01-29-2008, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

OMG, what a great idea for our first LoT film. Post it in the LoT Film Commission Thead ASAP.

(Of course, we may have to change the casting a little ... which may effect how could a concept that is after all.)

No.... It wouldn't work. How would you incorporate bacon?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

With gratuitous evil Wilford Brimley.

Isn't he dead?

01-29-2008, 03:15 PM	#2923
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Hmm, that's between election and inauguration. The question was, between party candidate selection and election. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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01-29-2008, 03:27 PM	#2924
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Ah, misread. I imagine it would vary widely by state depending on existing laws for ballot formation. If it happens early enough I imagine the party would reconvene a convention and decide on a new nominee the old fashioned way and then would work with individual states to try and get that new candidate on the ballot instead. As it moves later into the cycle I imagine this would be more and more difficult to accomplish as when Mel Carnahan died so close to the 2000 election in Missouri and went on to defeat John Ashcroft for governor. There simply was no time. The constitution leaves it to the states to determine how they assign their electors. So I imagine 50 states would very quickly have to pass legislation dealing with it. And then there would be years of lawsuits by whomever didn't care for the results. Remember, we don't vote for president but for electors, and those electors in almost all states are allowed to vote for whomever they want and are not required to vote for the candidate to which they are pledged. So the simplest thing would be that if the dead candidate won electors those electors would vote for a different person when the electoral college convenes (probably whomever the national party has decreed as the replacement).
	Submit to Quotes

01-29-2008, 03:41 PM	#2925
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	An almost historical precedent. In the election of 1872 Horace Greeley was defeated by Ulysses Grant but did win 66 electoral votes. Greeley died before the Electoral College officially met (constitutionally this is before the actual election of the president) and so 63 of his electoral simply voted for other people. 3 electors held loyal and voted for Greeley but these votes were disqualified.
	Submit to Quotes

01-29-2008, 04:21 PM	#2926
sleepyjeff Go Hawks Go! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Parkrose Posts: 2,632	Thanks...that clears it up a tad __________________ River Guardian-less
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01-29-2008, 06:10 PM	#2927
JWBear Worn Romantic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach California Posts: 8,435	I suddenly have visions of a political action movie: America's first black President (Don Cheadle) is assassinated by white supremacist weeks into his first term. The lead secret service agent (Denzel Washington - natch) assigned to the case discovers information that implicates that the female VP - now President (Helen Mirren) orchestrated the assassination. He reports his findings to the head of the Secret Service (Harvey Keitel) who, unbeknownst to the agent, is part of the conspiracy. Our hero now must fight for truth, justice, and the American way (not to mention his own life) with the help of a wacky aging Kennedy assassination conspiracy theorist (Harrison Ford) and his daughter (Liv Tyler), a DC cop. __________________ Unrestrained frivolity will lead to the downfall of modern society.
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01-29-2008, 06:30 PM	#2928
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	OMG, what a great idea for our first LoT film. Post it in the LoT Film Commission Thead ASAP. (Of course, we may have to change the casting a little ... which may effect how could a concept that is after all.)
	Submit to Quotes

01-29-2008, 06:46 PM	#2929
Strangler Lewis Doing The Job Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: In a state Posts: 3,956	With gratuitous evil Wilford Brimley. __________________ Live now-pay later. Diner's Club!
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