[jcsjcm]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_Two_of_the_United_States_Constitution

I know that I read this when I was surfing through the consitution or congressional records a long time ago. Possibly at the Library of Congress or something like that. But, I really didn’t feel like searching through that again. Too late!

But that link half-way down the page you will see this:

Tyler’s precedent established that if the President’s office becomes vacant due to death, resignation or disqualification, the Vice President becomes President. The Congress may provide for a line of succession beyond the Vice President. The Presidential Succession Act establishes the order as: the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President pro tempore of the Senate and then the fifteen Cabinet Secretaries in order of that Department’s establishment.

[jcsjcm]

I’m not sure why I thought it then went to the Secretary of Defense?

[Windflier]

Tyler’s precedent established that if the President’s office becomes vacant due to death, resignation or disqualification, the Vice President becomes President.

I'll tell you one thing about these eligibility threads -- they'll sure make you crack open the Constitution!

Thanks for that reference. I went through my desk copy and discovered that Amendment XXV Section 1, actually conflicts with Article II Section 1 Clause Six.

It says, "In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President."

I have no idea how to square that conflict. I don't see where the original language in Article II was repealed to make way for this amendment.

In Article II, it states, "In case of the removal of the President from office, of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve upon the Vice President..."