Posted on 06/04/2004 12:33:41 PM PDT by Republican Red
On CNN's website, Bill Clinton is listed as a VP Contender with the ending sentence in his credentials as follows:
CNN:
While federal law prohibits a person from seeking a third presidential term, the Constitution does not specify whether or not a former commander in chief can become vice president.
U.S. CONSTITUTION:
But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
I didn't say it wasn't scary, but it is a fact. You have a nice weekend too, I enjoyed the chat.
if he tried he would have to be eliminated
Of course the current SecState doesn't have this problem. Secretary Powell was born in New York City on April 5, 1937. His parents were Jamacian immigrants. His immediate predecessor did have that problem though, Madeleine Korbel Albright was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, on May 15, 1937. She didn't come to the US until she was about 11. Similarly Henry Kissinger was born in Furth, Germany, on May 27, 1923, and fled the Nazies in 1938. Ike's last SecState was also born overseas, Christian Archibald Herter was born in Paris, France on March 28, 1895. (However he would be natural born, because his parents were Americans, there is famous American physician by that name who would have been 30 in 1895, and was likely his father.)
It's you who needs the remedial course.
Bill Clinton is unquestionably "eligible to the office of President of the United States".
He has attained the age of 35.
He is a natural-born US citizen.
He has resided in the United States for the past fourteen years.
It's true, he cannot enter his third term by being chosen by the electors for President who will be picked on November 2, 2004. That is forbidden by the XXII Amendment.
However, if he were Speaker of the House, and the President and Vice-President died, he certainly would succeed to the office of President.
The authors of the XXII Amendment did not choose to make former Presidents constitutionally ineligible to the office, nor did they address the Vice-Presidency.
Presumably, this is because they could not imagine that the People would become so degraded as to elevate a specimen such as Clinton to the Presidency to begin with.
However, if he runs and if 271 or more electors for Vice President select him, he will unquestionably assume that office. Who or what could stop him?
And Kerry will then, unquestionably, resign.
What makes Clinton Constitutionally ineligible to the office?
Answer: Nothing.
No; he's their little tin god who protects their sacred cows.
There is a sickness in the media over these two Clinton pigs.
Looks like we have another case of "no controlling legal authority."
The Bent One being considered a VP doesn't come as a shock to me. This is part of the Clinton grand plan. If Kerry picks The Bent One, he better watch his back.
That's what I always tell Liberals I meet on the street that still talk about Bush being "selected". They walk away in a huff and I go about my errands.
Forget trying to explain the Constitution to a foaming at the mouth Liberal. The Constitution is like a road block to the Left, they'll always find their way to a detour and go around the road block.
Unfortunately, due to the poor language of the 22nd, BJ is eligible for VP and even president. At first I thought it was a joke, but after careful reading of both the 12th and 22nd, it is unfortunately clear that he can be elected VP and in the case of Arkancide, even serve as president.
Could it depend also on how one interpretes the word "ineligible"? If "ineligible" means "not able to be chosen, (as the 1913 Websters dictionary defined it, for example), then Clinton would be "ineligible" in any event. The only way to be chosen President is to be elected. One can become president if the president died, having been chosen as vice-president - but that is not a choice or chosing process. Am I saying that clearly? In other words, the only way to be chosen as President is to be elected. So if eligible = choose-able, then Bill is ineligible because no one could in any event directly choose him as for the office.
I agree with you Congressman Billybob, but watch how fast these living constitutionalists try to play a bastardized strict constructionist game in arguing that the 12th amendment can only apply to the eligibility rules in force at the time it was drafted.
Looks like CNN got it wrong!
You would think these idiots would do a little research. Like open up the constitution and actually read it. Makes you wonder what else they do not research?
Jim,
"However, if he were Speaker of the House, and the President and Vice-President died, he certainly would succeed to the office of President."
I made this point a bit back, but I'll make it again, by asking a question:
Is he Speaker, or otherwise a government official in the line of presidential succession? If not, then Slick ain't eligible.
**Slick is a private citizen, not in the line of succession, and therefore ineligible.**
If he were in the line of succession, then the legal loophole would exist for Kerry to pick him as a running mate. But only then.
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