President and Vice President

“The president of the United States carries with it a responsibility so personal as to be without parallel…No one can make decisions for him…Even those closest to him…never know all the reasons why he does certain things and comes to certain conclusions. To be President of the United States is to be lonely, very lonely at times of great decisions.”

-Harry S. Truman

Article II Section I

• Qualifications of President- Natural born citizen, 35 years old, 14 yr US resident

• 22nd Amendment – limits President’s tenure to two, four year terms

• Oath of Office- oath swearing the President will uphold Constitution and done on inauguration day

Presidential Basics• Qualifications—Informal

– Electability (moderates most electable)– Experience

• Political/Military/Business

– Religion– Money (personal and private donations)– Marital /Family Status– Gender– Race– Age

Presidential Benefits

• Pay/Benefits– President’s Salary is fixed by Congress

• Currently $400,000 w/ $100,000 expense account

– 132 room Mansion with gym, bowling alley, heated pool

– Suite of offices w/ large staff– Fleet of automobiles and personal aircraft– Camp David– Finest health care– Former Presidents get pension– Secret Service Protection for life

Presidential Succession

• 25th Amendment

- established Presidential succession in case of death, resignation or disability

• President can resume powers when the disability no longer exists

Presidential Disability

• Involuntary Disability– VP becomes acting president if President is

incapacitated.• Disability disputes:

– President gets his powers back once he informs Congress that there is no disability.

– But, if VP and Majority of Congress challenge this within four days, President does not get powers back

– Congress then has 21 days to decide. – Must be a 2/3 vote of both houses that President

is unable to discharge duties.

Presidential Succession

1. Vice President2. Speaker of the House3. President Pro Tempore of the Senate4. Secretary of State5. Secretary of Treasury6. Secretary of Defense7. Attorney General8. Secretary of the interior9. Secretary of Agriculture10. Secretary of Commerce11. Secretary of Labor12. Secretary of Health and Human Services13. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development14. Secretary of Transportation15. Secretary of Energy16. Secretary of Education17. Secretary of Veterans Affairs18. Secretary of Home land Security

Presidential Vacancy

• 4 Presidents have died in office---William Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Warren Harding, and F.D. Roosevelt

• 4 Presidents have been assassinated---William McKinley, Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, and John F. Kennedy

• 1 President has resigned---Richard Nixon

The Vice Presidency

• One-in-five Vice Presidents have become President because of death or resignation. (only 14 of 46)

• Stepping stone to presidency - Five of our last 11 presidents have been vice

presidents at some point

• Main reason for Vice President being picked is to balance the presidential ticket to increase electability of President

• $221,000/year

View of the VP

• John Adams (1st VP)– “My country has contrived for me the most

insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.”

• John Nance Gardner– “The vice presidency isn’t worth a pitcher of warm

spit.”

The VP’s Job

• The Constitution only gives the VP three Duties besides becoming president if the President is removed from Office:

1) To preside over the Senate

2) break ties in Senate votes

3) To help decide the question of Presidential disability.

• Today the VP often performs diplomatic and political chores for the president. He often introduces new ideas and attacks the opposition.

Successor Reason for SuccessionJohn Tyler Death (pneumonia) of William Henry

Harrison, April 4, 1841

Millard Fillmore Death (gastroenteritis) of Zachary Taylor, July 9, 1850

Andrew Johnson Death (assassination) of Abraham Lincoln, April 15, 1865

Chester A. Arthur Death (assassination) of James A Garfield, September 19, 1880

Theodore Roosevelt Death (assassination ) of Will McKinley, September 14, 1901

Calvin Coolidge Death (undisclosed illness) of Warren G. Harding, August 2, 1923

Harry S Truman Death (cerebral hemorrhage) of FDR, April 12, 1945

Lyndon b. Johnson Death (assassination) of JFK, November 22, 1963

Gerald R. Ford Resignation of Richard M. Nixon, August 9, 1974

–Vice Presidents who Succeeded to the Presidency

Discussion Board

• On March 4, 1849, David Rice Atchison became President for a day (https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/President_For_A_Day.htm). What actions would you try to take if you were given the ability to be President for one day?