[Vaquero]

Constitutionally, gentlemen, you have the President, the Vice President and the Secretary of State in that order, and should the President decide he wants to transfer the helm to the Vice President, he will do so. He has not done that. As of now, I am in control here, in the White House, pending return of the Vice President and in close touch with him. If something came up, I would check with him, of course.

[ConservativeNewYorker]

Problem is, Haig was correct when he said that. Larry Speakes, the Press Secretary was asked by Lesley Stahl “who is running the government” Speakes blew it when he answered “I cannot answer that question at this time” leaving the image that nobody was charge, Haig went down to the briefing room and gave his statement to reassure the public, government was functioning. VP Bush, Tip O’Neill and Strom Thurmond were not physically in the building. Haig meant he was the highest ranking Federal officer physically in the building. The libs crucified him over the years for that...