Bill Clinton for Vice President

[ringmastery]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/editorial/outlook/2430461

Amid this conjecture, however, one name is conspicuously absent: Bill Clinton.

Clinton's strengths would compensate for Kerry's weaknesses almost perfectly. Not only is Clinton the most talented campaigner of his generation, but he is also a Southerner -- and since 1948, when Harry S. Truman chose Sen. Alben Barkley of Kentucky as his running mate, every successful Democratic ticket has included a citizen of a Southern state.

Besides, people might even pay to watch Bill Clinton debate Dick Cheney. So why not?

The first objection, the constitutional one, can be disposed of easily. The Constitution does not prevent Clinton from running for vice president. The 22nd Amendment, which became effective in 1951, begins: "No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice."

No problem. Bill Clinton would be running for vice president, not president. Scholars and judges can debate how loosely constitutional language should be interpreted, but one need not be a strict constructionist to find this language clear beyond dispute. Bill Clinton cannot be elected president, but nothing stops him from being elected vice president.

True, if Clinton were vice president he would be in line for the presidency. But Clinton would succeed Kerry not by election, which the amendment forbids, but through Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, which provides that if a president dies, resigns or is removed from office, his powers "shall devolve on the vice president." The 22nd Amendment would not prevent this succession.

[ablbodyed]

1. LOL.....

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Not a good idea

for two reasons:

1. Clinton, for good or ill, carries a certain amount of political baggage that could be enough for independents to decide not to vote Democratic. And Republicans who are ready to bolt the party because they hate Bush would likely go in and touch the screen for the GOP.

2. Clinton, like Kerry, comes from the establishment branch of the party. Progressives like me have pledged to support Kerry in the election, but are wary of what he will do once in office. Much better to get someone who is not part of the Washington establishment and or has true progressive credentials. This will hearten the progressives in the party, and we can't afford to ignore the base and go 'GOP lite' like last time.

[RC]

3. Knock it off

This is the 3rd or 4th post about Clinton being VP this morning. The constitution says he can not.
Why are you kicking this dead horse?

Amendment XII
"But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States."

[Kolesar]

4. Agreed, forget Clinton and forget these Billy Veep threads

Continue discussion here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1187625

[ringmastery]

5. This article was also in the NY TIMES!!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/03/opinion/03GIL.html?ex=1078894800&en=4dd33637d9112a3e&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

How could they publish this if it was BS?

[PCIntern]

6. I believe that you can have a cabinet officer

ineligible. But that's all we would have to do is start that VP debate and take all the focus away from the candidate.

sure-fire destruction...

[jsw_81]

8. Jayson Blair?

[jansu]

27. Because at least two court cases say they can lie to us!

There is no rule, regulation or law which says they have to tell the truth! I am amazed that you still believe them! After all the fudging of the truth and the passes they gave Bush.....after all the lies Bush has told us and the media never checked into it! Don't believe.....check it out yourself. With the internet, you can find the truth.

[jsw_81]

7. Ridiculous

Nobody ineligible to seek the presidency can seek the vice presidency.

[Cuban_Liberal]

9. He's absent because he's constitutionally inelgible. n/t

[kanrok]

10. I'm not sure that your interpretation of the 12th Amendment is accurate

This is what the law professor who wrote the Op-ed piece had to say about Clinton's ability to become VP: "True, if Mr. Clinton were vice president he would be in line for the presidency. But Mr. Clinton would succeed Mr. Kerry not by election, which the amendment forbids, but through Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, which provides that if a president dies, resigns or is removed from office, his powers "shall devolve on the vice president." The 22nd Amendment would not prevent this succession."
What he's saying is that if a VP "devolves" into the presidency there is (arguably) no Constitutional reason why a person cannot becoome VP if he or she has already served two elected terms. The 12th Amendment is not as black and white as you might think.

[Cuban_Liberal]

11. One question:

There are,as you point out, two possible intrpretations. Bearing in mind the 2000 election debacle, would YOU trust the SCOTUS to interpret and decide between Bill Clinton and Speaker Hastert? :think:

[kanrok]

17. Not on my life.

"Fat Tony" would appoint "Fat Denny" in a heartbeat. Good point.

[Cuban_Liberal]

22. That's why I mentioned it.

:hi:

[LynneSin]

12. Constitutionally he can't be Vice President

To be VP you also have to be qualified to be president. And although Bill is more than qualified in many of our books, constitutionally he's not since he's already served 2 terms.

You can look it up!

[PCIntern]

13. Why don't we ask Justices

Scalia and Thomas how they'd vote in the matter?


You can call Scalia right after he gets back from another hunting trip with Cheney.

[OhioStateProgressive]

14. have you people ever read the Constitution???

it says plainly that you cannot be VP without meeting the qualifications of President...as Clinton is NOT ELIGIBLE to be President, he CANNOT be Vice President

[PCIntern]

15. Yes

and it was discussed extensively after Clinton's 8 years....someone had postulated that Gore should pick Clinton as his VP. It was dismissed.

Just think, Bush could have picked Reagan instead of Quayle. He'd have won twice...

Bush Jr., of course, has yet to win once.

[OhioStateProgressive]

16. I'm sorry

But what was posted as Constitutional leeway is pure bullshit...it was when they talked about Gore doing it, it is now.

[PCIntern]

25. I'm agreeing with you

This just ain't gonna happen anyway - more likely he'd pick Jon Stewart...

[Spider Jerusalem]

18. Actually, that is not true.

The term-limitation amendment states that no person may be elected to the office of President more than twice. It also states that no person may serve in the office of President for a period exceeding ten years. Clinton is Constitutionally eligible, in that he would NOT be elected President, AND, should the office of President devolve upon him through some eventuality, he has not served the maximum allowable time in that office.

[OhioStateProgressive]

20. wrong

that amendment does not change the requirements to be President...which is in the text of the Constitution itself

[kanrok]

19. Read post #9

Some of us "people" actually have read, and studied the Constitution. I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. The point is that your assertion is not 100% iron-clad, as you may believe. There is room for interpretation in the Constitution. My point, (and the point being made by a law professor in a NYT op-ed piece) is that there is a potential for Clinton to become VP, your interpretation of the Constitution notwithstanding.

[OhioStateProgressive]

23. text of constitution

trumps amendments

[kanrok]

24. "Law professor who gets published in the NYT trumps you"

[revcarol]

21. Never, even if he were eligible.

The chickens of Clinton's trade policies are coming home to roost, and the picture ain't pretty.Millions of manufacturing jobs lost, wages in the U.S. depressed...fergit it.

[John_H]

26. Why do I think TBD would not accept the vice presidency?