Fred Thompson - Have a Yabba Dabba Do Time

Fred Thompson - Have a Yabba Dabba Do Time

PROJECT: Lucidity - Tuesday, 22 January 2008

Thought Game on Clinton (Bill, that is...)

First, let me say that I'm not a Hillary Clinton supporter. Nor am I an Obama, Edwards, Dodd, Biden, et al, supporter. Meaning, I haven't made up my mind yet.

Hillary Clinton certainly seems to be leading in the national polls, with pretty good poll results state-wise.

What if Hillary wins the presidency - which could very well be a possibility? Ok, fine. Some people say business as usual, some people say there will be major changes. One thing that doesn't change is that the President has to appoint his or her cabinet members. One key post (and the one I personally follow the most) is Secretary of State.

There was talk during the Kerry campaign that President Bill Clinton would be tapped as Kerry's Secretary of State. I read one report that it would have been a somewhat cynical move on Kerry's part, simply because it would have dowsed any future campaigning by Hillary. I've also seen dozens - if not hundreds - of online posts expressing their support of a Secretary of State Bill Clinton. It would seem to be a very short list, though, of possible Secretary of States if Hillary won in 2008.

But, what I haven't been able to find is how an appointment like that would affect the Presidential Order of Succession. According to the Presidential Succession Act of 1792, the Secretary of State is fourth in line for the presidency.

However, according to the 22nd Amendment (Section 1):

No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

So, of course, Bill Clinton cannot run for President again in an election. Yet, there are no provisions for succession if he was appointed a Cabinet position. Would he be able to succeed? Would he have to resign if the situation presented itself? Or, would he not even be allowed to be appointed as Secretary of State in the first place?