If no President has been chosen by Inauguration Day, then the most bizarre scenario unfolds: the Senate’s President pro tempore, the longest-serving member of the majority, would become President.

Totter up to the throne Strom Thurmond, the Senator for South Carolina, who turns 98 next month. The election was always firmly focused on old age pensioners, so there is perfect symmetry here.

The next in line after that should be the Secretary of State, but Madeleine Albright was born outside the US and is therefore ineligible, so Larry Summers, Treasury Secretary, would become Vice-President.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2000

Answers

Doesn't the Speaker of the House (Hastert) figure in the mix somewhere?

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2000

You are thinking of the case where the VP and President both die in office. Not the same thing.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2000

Once again, wrong Paul.

Hastert would be acting President;

Thurmond acting vice-president.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2000

We do have a bit of an unusual situation this year, in more ways than one. Check qualifications, re-elections and the situation in both house and senate before you leap.

Incidentally, the original quote up there is from the London Times, which is almost never wrong on matters of fact - and I'm sure their man in DC got his information from the state dept.

http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/rights/elect2000/collegefaqs.htm

Last paragraph.

In the event contingent election is necessary, the House has two weeks between counting the electoral votes (January 6) and Inauguration Day (January 20) in which to elect a president. If it is unable to do so during this time, the vice president-elect, assuming one has been chosen by the Electors or the Senate, serves as acting president until the House resolves its deadlock. In the event the Senate has been similarly unable to elect a vice president, the speaker of the House of Representatives serves as acting president until a president or vice president is elected, but he must resign the offices of both speaker and representative in order to so serve. In the event there is no speaker, or the speaker fails to qualify, then the president pro-tempore of the Senate (the longest serving senator of the majority party) becomes acting president, under identical resignation requirements.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2000

Oh, I get it. Hastert would have to resign to serve, and he won't do that.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2000

Doesn't the Speaker of the House (Hastert) figure in the mix somewhere? -- I'm Here, I'm There, (I'm Everywhere,@So.Beware), November 29, 2000.

You are thinking of the case where the VP and President both die in office. Not the same thing. -- Paul Davis (davisp1953@yahoo.com), November 29, 2000.

I see. But then, if Strom Thurmond were to take the oath, Hastert would probably almost automatically be at least one step closer...

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2000

Paul:

But at that time the new Senate will have been sworn in. As it stands now, neither party will be in the majority.

Now what happens

Interesting!!

Best wishes,,,,

Z

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2000

Like I said, unique situation.

Right now, I will honestly admit that I do not have a clue as to who the next guy taking the oath will actually be.

The odds favor Bush, but anyone who thinks it is a cinch for Bush is just kidding themselves.

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2000