President Edwards vs President Palin?

[denem]

Not a contest.

IF (an impossible if - these are not the JFK days) Edwards had been able hide keep his affair and baby with Hunter until Election Day, he would have been an adequate President. Adequate that is, until impeachment hearings into abuse of campaign funds to support Hunter.

IF McCain, in his own words "managed to pull this thing off'" and the stress of office killed him, in no way would President Palin have been able to cope. Fiscal 'responsibility' would have pushed the economy off the cliff, and if Palin went Rogue on Foreign Policy, she could have taken the world down for dessert.

They have one thing in common. Destroying their own parties.

President Edwards: Landslide to the GOP in 2012
President Palin: Landslide to the Dems.

And maybe that's the point.

Any President taking over in 2009 was going to have a hard time in the run up to 2012. Truly spectacular disasters like Palin or Edwards, could have rewritten the political map for a decade or more.

[RZM]

1. I'd say the risk of Palin 'going rogue' would have been almost nonexistant

She would have had immense internal opposition within the administration as soon as she ascended to the presidency. The behind the scenes players probably would have been able to clip her wings, get her impeached, or driven her to resign. This is Palin we're talking about, after all. Her threshold for quitting is apparently fairly low.

[denem]

2. I would agree, if the woman was mentally stable,

but she is not.

Everything I have heard about her suggests she wants attention, not criticism, nor reasoned argument. You can impeach a President for mental incapacity, but not in time to prevent a few air strikes.

[RZM]

7. Yeah, but you can set them up for impeachment

And otherwise undermine them from within every chance you get. Without knowing it, my Palin scenario was probably based on Andrew Johnson. He's a good example of an accidental president that was very unpopular among insiders (as Palin would have been). He was also set up. It didn't work, but it almost did.

Trust me, they would have run her out of town on a rail. Actually, enough people thinking she was mentally unstable would have accelerated her downfall.

Most likely scenario - she would be pressured to quit and perhaps promised something or another for going quietly. Actually that might have happened even if McCain had served out a full term. The system is a lot bigger than the president. Without dedicated people who trust the president working for him/her, they really can't govern. Just about all presidents have had that. Palin wouldn't have.

[tritsofme]

6. The 25th Amendment allows for the VPOTUS and Cabinet to declare a President unfit for duty

Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.


Given her mental state, I don't think a 25th amendment scenario would have been unthinkable if she somehow ascended to the office.

[RZM]

8. That's probaby one of the options her enemies would have presented to her

'Go quietly with your dignity, or you're getting the 25th amendment treatment.'

[denem]

10. So the end game is a 2/3 majority in both Houses

if the President refuses to go. Thank you!

[WhoIsNumberNone]

3. I always figured in McCain died in office, it would be because Palin poisoned him...

[RZM]

9. I've seen this posted a few times since 'Game Change' came out

I don't understand where people are getting it. What makes anybody think she's some cold-blooded murderer willing to assassinate the president? I think that's reading WAY too much into all of this. She was an accidental VP nominee who couldn't cut it. Nothing more.

[WhoIsNumberNone]

11. In my case it's nothing to do with Game Change

Just a vibe I got back in 2008. Not based on anything scientific.

[Old and In the Way]

4. Like Reagan and Bush the Dimmer,

she'd have been thoroughly stage managed. All she'd do is give prepared speeches. I doubt she'd have been available for any press conferences because they'd ask her 'gotcha' questions. The Republican policies would have cratered the economy, no question. She'd be totally at loss and unavailable. VP Mitch McConnell would be the point man, accusing Democrats and Bill Clinton for the economic consequences.

[denem]

5. Reagan and Bush did not respond to advice with anger and contempt

and head in he opposite direction out of hubris. Sarah might have been more concerned what the folks back in Alaska would think after she ordered an airstrike on Vladivostok.