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Odd question...


southsider2k5

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Say if Kerry was elected President, but for some reason (it doesn't matter how) died in between now and Jan 20th.  Who would be inagurated as President?  Would it be Edwards, or would the Senate decide, or what???

You got plans or something??? :ph34r:

 

I think I would like Edwards in office more than Kerry.

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Edwards becomes the president (20th Amendment).

Not true:

 

If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.
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I take it as "qualified" means elected to be President. I'm not sure. It takes a damned lawyer.  :lol:

I don't think that's what "qualify" means, and anyways ss2k4 was asking specifically about what happens if Kerry gets elected, so that is just assumed. So I'm pretty sure Edwards becomes the president in that case.

 

Hypertechnically, it may be possible that Kerry is elected Prez, but someone other than Edwards is elected VP (tons of weirdly rogue/drunk electors) -- I'm not sure. But that's just not going to happen, even if it is possible.

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I don't think that's what "qualify" means, and anyways ss2k4 was asking specifically about what happens if Kerry gets elected, so that is just assumed.  So I'm pretty sure Edwards becomes the president in that case.

 

Hypertechnically, it may be possible that Kerry is elected Prez, but someone other than Edwards is elected VP (tons of weirdly rogue/drunk electors) -- I'm not sure.  But that's just not going to happen, even if it is possible.

No, I'm saying I read it to say that Edwards has to elected specifically as President on the ballot. Again, I'm not too sure.

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No, I'm saying I read it to say that Edwards has to elected specifically as President on the ballot. Again, I'm not too sure.

No, Section 3 begins "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." The part you quoted qualifies that by directing that, if the VP elect is not qualified to be president (citizen, over 35, born in the United States), Congressional law (kind of redundant, yeah, I just mean to contrast it to the Constitution as law) will determine the placeholder president who will serve until the VP elect (say) reaches his 35th year. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that seems like the most natural interpretation.

 

For anyone curious, here's the text.

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No, Section 3 begins "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."  The part you quoted qualifies that by directing that, if the VP elect is not qualified to be president (citizen, over 35, born in the United States), Congressional law (kind of redundant, yeah, I just mean to contrast it to the Constitution as law) will determine the placeholder president who will serve until the VP elect (say) reaches his 35th year.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but that seems like the most natural interpretation.

 

For anyone curious, here's the text.

Yeah, I read that part, but before your post didn't put the two together. It makes a little more sense now, but still isn't clear as can be. :huh

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