Can Bush appoint his own brother as VP?

[enid602]

I assume he'd go with Jeb, as opposed to Neil or Marvin. Is there anything (other than common decency or fear of being labeled a nepotist) that would keep Bush from doing this?

Given the swing in fortune for the BFEE as of late, this might be the last foreseeable chance for them to extend their dynasty. I would think Jeb is being groomed for leadership; I think he's the only one without a criminal record, although his wife did have a brief tussle with Customs while re-entering the US at one point. Marvin appears relatively crime-free as well, but he has no national reputation, and his serving on the boards of two separate companies (one partially owned the WTC; the other ran its security) during 9/11/01 might raise some red flags.

What think you?

[Hobarticus]

1. Think it follows a chain of succession, by law...

I don't think he can just appoint anyone he feels.

Who's next in line?

[enid602]

2. succession

I think that's only if the VP or Prez dies.

[electropop]

6. Nope, he can just pick somebody.

That's how Nixon got Ford. He talked it over with GOP leaders, but there isn't a specific rule, except I assume the VP must be somebody who would be elegible for Pres (e.g. US-Born, old enough, etc).

[Tiggeroshii]

24. I know it didn't require this, but Ford did ironically enough, follow the

chain of succession. He was Speaker of the House wasn't he?

[electropop]

26. I knew somebody would be rude enough to point that out.

You are correct, Tigger. But yes, by coincidence.

[Tiggeroshii]

35. Hah, it appears I'm not. Though I've heard him referred as that many times

It pains me to understand that the longest time the Repugs have ever had the majority in the house within in the last 70 years it's probably it's shortest time and it has all been most of my lifetime.

[MN ChimpH8R]

Nope. Jerry was Minority Leader.

The Dems controlled the House in 1973. He was well-respected on both sides of the aisle, though.

[electropop]

36. Oops, right. nt

[donheld]

31. Gerald Ford was never Speaker of the House

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108918.html

[Benhurst]

42. No, he was Minority Leader. Carl Albert (D-Oklahoma) was

Speaker of the House.

[Tiggeroshii]

44. segregationist?

I jsut realized recently that a lot of the Democrats in the south were segregatonists, Oklahama seems in the boonies so I wouldn't be surprised if he were too...

[Benhurst]

46. I don't think he was; but I've never gone over his voting record. NT

[Silverhair]

47. Not even. NO !!!

Ford was a Republican. Democrats had a majority in the house. The speaker of the House was a DEMOCRAT.

[Tiggeroshii]

61. Yeah, we've settled this now for some time.

about five people said what you've said in the last day.

[calico1]

7. The chain of succession applies to the

president position, not VP. Bush can appoint someone and they have to be approved by Congress I believe. Don't know if he can pick his brother or not.

[mike_c]

8. no, the chain of succession only applies...

...if Bush is removed too. If Cheney is removed, Bush makes an appointment.

[CottonBear]

10. No. Buish can nominate a new VP if Cheney dies or retires.

Nixon, for example, chose Ford after Agnew resigned.

[NWHarkness]

11. He can nominate who he wants

As long as they meet the constitutional requirements. But both houses of Congress have to approve the choice.

[Hobarticus]

17. That's really disturbing...

You DUers are giving off little rays of sunshine with that news.

[longship]

3. Yes, he can appoint bro. [Q] Does Senate have oversight?

nt

[enid602]

13. good question

Good question. I don;t recall from the last go-around (Nixon/Agnew/Ford).

[benburch]

Yes.

Bush** nominates, Congress elects.

[Mabus]

33. Sec. 2 of the 25th Amendement requires Congressional approval

of VP nominee, like Ford.

Found it:

Section 2 of the 25th Amendment

In case of the removal of the Vice President from office, or of his death or resignation, the President, within a period of thirty days thereafter, shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by both Houses of Congress by a majority vote of those present and voting.

Sounds like all that's needed is a simple majority of the vote.

[VelmaD]

4. No, he can't...

I believe a law was passed after Kennedy appointed his brother as Attorney General so that you cannot appoint a family member to high office.

[longship]

9. Nonsense.

He can appoint anybody he wants. (subject to other Constitutional requirements)

[MADem]

51. No, the GOP bitched up a shitstorm, was all..nothing came of it nt

[Demit]

5. He sure could. Whether the party would support him is another matter.

[enid602]

20. Bush

Who, at this point is the party? Neo-cons? Corporatists? Moral Majority? whatever happened to Rockefeller republicans? Goldwater republicans? This party is pretty splintered right now, and Bush is in his second term. He doesn't care about polls, and probably doesn't care about the party, either. Given the level of ethics in this administration, I should think he's long abandoned any hope of leaving a legacy. Why not go for broke and nominate his bro'?

[enid602]

21. accidental dupe

[pitohui]

12. i don't see why not

nixon appointed jerry ford whose only qualification was having been hit in the head a lot playing football & being just drunk enough to issue a pardon before any trial or conviction

[MADem]

14. He CAN, but he won't

If not Condi, I will be surprised. Jeb has way too many skeletons in his closet, and he has said he ain't interested, many times. All of those girlfriends, those dysfunctional children, a wife who spends more time in Mexico than in the US...

He could go with a "uniter" like McCain...people would get behind that pick, and he would get a poll bounce for making a halfway sane choice for once in his life. Maybe that is why McCain did that embarrassing grope at the pre-stolen election rally, and maybe that is why Monkey brought him a cake as Katrina was washing away NOLA???

It could have been a contingency plan, way back a year ago....

[Enraged_Ape]

40. I agree, but for different reasons

Dubya has serious familial/Daddy issues. There is no way he'd put his little brother in a position to "take over" from him in a failed Presidency. The little ape is just too...apelike for that. He wants all the marbles.

[FSogol]

15. He'll pick McCain, for the same reasons Nixon picked Ford. n/t

[longship]

18. He will *not* pick McCain.

People keep saying this. Bush and McCain do not drink the same kool-aid. Plus, AZ has a Democratic governor who would then appoint a Democrat to replace McCain. There's *no* *way* that he'd pick McCain.

Most likely he'd pick a Repug from Congress in a state with a Repug governor.

[Lochloosa]

27. Santorum would be my guess

[longship]

28. Possible. But it might be a House member.

Sanitorium would be a nightmare. He might not get past Congressional review.

[Hobarticus]

30. He'll appoint Jim Nussle, R-IA...

And the other three Horsemen of the Apocalypse will be right behind him.

[enid602]

37. McCain

Hell, Bush hasn't even signed off yet on the defense appropriations bill, as it has a rider banning torture. I just love it when a man stands up to his principles.

[readmylips]

41. Goodie...that sounds delicious...getting rid of McCain in AZ...

by Governor Janet N. It does not get any better.

[napi21]

16. Absolutely, he can appoint anybody he wants!

It does take Senate approval though.

[MADem]

29. Except a Texan, I believe

Remember how Cheney had to hightail it from TX, where he lived, to WY, where he was originally from, in order to get around the "two clowns from the same state cannot run for Prez and VP" rule...

[TahitiNut]

39. Not true.

The ONLY limitation is on the electors of that state in which they both "reside" -- none of whom shall vote for both candidates from their own state.

Thus, each elector is forced to vote for either a Presidential candidate or a Vice Presidential candidate from another state. The Constitution DOES NOT prohibit both being from the same state.

[MADem]

50. That's a detail I was ignorant of!

So, as long as it is acclaimation for the top dog, the second banana can squeeze in if he has 'just enough!'

[napi21]

48. That could be right. I haven't read that clause in a long time.

I don't recall if it relates to candidates in an election, or if it's a flat "the office holders" statement.

[funflower]

19. There's no reason he couldn't appoint Jeb, but I doubt he will.

There are others just as loyal who wouldn't raise the nepotism question quite so blatantly.

[enid602]

25. third world

I think we say he won't, because that sort of thing is just not done here. This, after all is the US, not Argentina. I hope you're right

[funflower]

43. Me too.

[Walt Starr]

22. He can, subject to confirmation by the Congress

Amendment XXV, Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

I don't think he will, though. We all know how Bush adores loyalty and I'm thinking the only being loyal enough for him these days is Barney.

[Demit]

23. "In 1967, the Twenty-fifth Amendment...

addressing presidential vacancy and disability, became part of our Constitution. The absence of any provision for filling a vice-presidential vacancy had become intolerable in the nuclear age. Added impetus for the change came from a growing public concern at the time about the advanced ages of President pro tempore Carl Hayden, who was eighty, and House Speaker John W. McCormack, who was seventy-six. The amendment states that the president may appoint a vice president to fill a vacancy in that office, subject to approval by both houses of Congress. Before a decade had passed, the provision was used twice, first in 1973 when President Nixon appointed Gerald R. Ford to replace Spiro Agnew, who had resigned, and again in 1974, with the appointment of Nelson Rockefeller after Nixon himself resigned and Ford became president."

http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/brie...


Google was my friend!

[KansDem]

34. Good news and bad news: "Good news" is Cheney resigns, "bad news" is...

Bush appoints Harriet Miers!




Panel 1: "Hi, 'Best President Ever.' I heard VP Cheney resigned..."

Panel 2: "You know, I'd be really happy if I could be 'Vice President!'"

Panel 3: "Is this...? Is this...'a sign?'"

Panel 4: "Cooool!!! I'll follow you anywhere, and do whatever you say!"

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

32. Family Values

Every one of his kids as well as his wife is a lawbreaker. Let's just say Jeb is the only one who hasn't been caught yet. For starters, I'm still hoping that one day he'll be implicated in voting fraud.

I don't think Jeb will draw the 'base' in 08. He waffled on Schiavo, which he didn't want to be involved in anyway. The fundies couldn't be loving him for that, or for his Catholic wife. I just don't see him in the WH. If the next three years are anything like this one, few will want to see another president named Bush.

[kskiska]

38. I don't think he even LIKES Jeb all that much.

Jeb was the "chosen one" and Mom's favorite. I doubt he'd make it so easy for Jeb to slip into the presidency. Besides, he'd be afraid of being outshone by his little brother, who can actually string words together to create a sentence.

No, he'd want Jeb to claw his way up the ladder the way he had to. (snicker)

[enid602]

45. 'management'

Doesn't really matter who GWB likes; it depends on who 'management' wants to be the successor. He'll, I don't even know if that decision would be made her in the US anymore.

[jackster]

49. "some people" predicted

all along that Cheney would never complete the next 4 years and that somehow Jeb would wind up as VP. It might be beyond the imaginable but did you ever think dubya could be elected or that we would see a 1/10 of the things we've seen in the last 5 years?

[enid602]

56. media

Most of what we've seen in the past year was known prior to the election, but the Bush family is very effective at controling the press. It's what they do. I think administration types have become sloppy and risk-taking because they assumed that news of their misdeeds would be contained. Now that the media is belatedly catching up on Bushco, bad news is coming out of the woodwork, and the cockroaches are scattering.

[onenote]

52. he could, but he'll pick daddy before he picks jebbie

Personally, I don't think Cheney is getting indicted or resigning. But if I'm wrong, my bet is that Chimpy picks dear ol' dad to occupy to vice presidency. Daddy isn't running in 2008, so picking him doesn't split the party the way picking a potential repug candidate (like McCain, or Jeb etc) would. And the public, like it or not, probably would view GHWB as having the requisite experience and qualifications to take over the presidency for a couple of years if anything happened to his boy.

So my money is on papa bear.

onenote

[enid602]

53. Bar

I think Mama Bar's Katrina comments would preclude any possibility of her husband's re-ascendance to power.

[onenote]

58. you may be right, but it looks like Bar's comments reflect repug policy

Looking at their budget proposals, dumping on the poor seems to be their official stance these days...

onenote

[enid602]

59. Bar

Yes, but you don't rub the poor's nose in it, like she did.

[enid602]

54. accidental dupe

[goodboy]

55. I heard Jebby's got an illegimate love child, and they're worried

that if it comes out his chances of becoming president will be Jack, and shit.

and jack was KIA in Iran Jr. (Iraq)

[enid602]

57. Jebbie

No prob. I assume that the love child's mother knows what happened to the mother of GWB's reputed love child. The secret's safe.

[SoCalDem]

60. He can pick anyone, but I think even he would be afraid to appoint Jebbie

[Marr]

62. He could offer up a 34 year old person in a coma, I believe.