Please donate early.
Posted on 01/11/2012 10:14:47 AM PST by Former Fetus
Yesterday I was helping my son study for a test in his Government class, and he asked me if I knew what Secretary of State had become President for about 3 hrs. My best guess is Alexander Haig, when he took control after President Reagan was shot and VP Bush was in his way to Texas. Am I right or has there been another case of a Secretary of State becoming acting President. And, if I'm right, why did he jump ahead of the Speaker of the House and President pro-term of the Senate?
These may be very simple questions to y'all, but when Reagan was shot I was a foreign graduate student at the American University in DC. When I studied for the citizenship exam I never read anything about a Secretary of State taking over the reins of the country. So I will appreciate any information.
Haig actually claimed that as SecSt. he was next in line behind the VP.Haig had problems with things presidential. in73 he transmitted the order to fire the Watergate special prosecutor to AG Eliot Richardson.He told the AG that the order came from the commander in chief. Richardson had to remin Haig that Nixon was not his CinC as he was not in the military, and then submitted his resignation.
Haig actually claimed that as SecSt. he was next in line behind the VP.Haig had problems with things presidential. in73 he transmitted the order to fire the Watergate special prosecutor to AG Eliot Richardson.He told the AG that the order came from the commander in chief. Richardson had to remin Haig that Nixon was not his CinC as he was not in the military, and then submitted his resignation.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.