The author of this article is incorrect.
In Debt of Honor, Ryan is about to be wore in as the new VP and is waiting in another chamber, he was not the designated survivor. When the plane crashes into the Capitol he barely escapes the resultant flames. The swearing in occurs very early in the next book Executive Orders.
Sorry, sworn in, not wore in
Ryan was sworn in prior to the plane crash and unbeknownst to anyone. The other VP had been asked to resign and submitted his resignation letter to the SoS who also died. Scumbag ex-VP has his mole in State retrieve his letter from the SoS and tried to say he was still VP and that he should be President.
Actually there are two authors. Patricia McCarthy and Marion DS Dreyfus