If Biden resigned as President and Kamala Harris became Supreme court justice, who would be President and Vice President?

[sage2021]

[nightdrot]

In the Constitutional pecking order, the next in line after the Vice-President would be the Speaker of the House of Representatives. In this case, Nancy Pelosi.

Things are bad enough, so let's just leave things where they are.

In any case, as to the new VP, that choice would be up to the new President. Again, in this hypothetical scenario Nancy Pelosi. She would name someone - it is hard to speculate who she might name - and they would have to be confirmed by a majority vote of the Senate. (Under the Constitution, the VP is President of the Senate and therefore the Senate gets to vote on who its' presiding officer would be.)

In any case, it is not likely that VP Harris would be named to the Supreme Court as, at this point, with a 38% approval rating, her nomination would likely split an already badly split Democratic party. Indeed, even if she did get all 50 Democrat votes, she as VP and presiding officer, would have to cast the tie-breaking vote,

Suffice to say, the optics of a Vice-President (again with a 38% approval rating) casting a vote on her own behalf would not be good. It would taint her reputation - and likely the Court's and the likely impact of that on Court rulings going forward would be not good, to say the least.

So, best to have President Biden pick someone else. It being likely that, if the rumors of his relationship to his VP have any truth to them, it is unlikely that the VP should be getting measured for those judicial robes any time soon.

[jordan156]

What is even more disturbing in this story is that she would be placed in this position not for her real skills, but just because she is an African-American woman. needless to say that it is criteria does not form any skills. but in our new Western world it has become fashionable to give pledges of goodwill to groups that are certainly very active but in the minority

[OlderAndWiser]

What you would describe only if both President and Vice-President were dead or incapacitated at the same time. See my response for the more likely scenario.

[nightdrot]

@OlderAndWiser Read what you wrote, but I don't follow it. If Harris is nominated the confirmation vote comes next. Presumably Biden would not resign till after his VP was named an Associate Justice.

You are not wrong, but the scenario you lay out does not seem likely. Biden would want to name both his own Supreme Court Justice and his own VP. Not sure why he would resign before he got them.

[nightdrot]

@jordan156 Well, such is politics in our dreary age. She got the VP nomination more for the color of her skin and her gender than anything else. Recall that she was to first to end her run for the Democrat presidential nomination. That hardly speaks well of her credentials.

Be that as it may, the American public chose the ticket they did. If they are unhappy about it, they really have no one to blame but themselves. J'accuse!

[jordan156]

@nightdrot I am very far from having your political and historical knowledge.

but we can't necessarily blame the Americans. Of course it's us who vote in the end

But let's not forget that our media tends to favor candidates and personalities, our media has more and more "Woke" journalists and let's not talk about universities. therefore Kamala Harris is real baini bread for our media.

[OlderAndWiser]

You misread what i wrote. "To become a Spreme Court justice, Harris would need to be nominated by the president, so Biden would first nominate her. THEN HE WOULD NOMINATE A VP. . ."

[OlderAndWiser]

@jordan156 Yes, the MSM (Main Stream Morons) have abdicated their job as reporter of the news and are unabashedly trying, virtually every day, to shape the news.

[nightdrot]

@OlderAndWiser We must be talking past each other. I don't follow you. Biden nominates Harris and her successor as VP and then quits? That does not seem plausible. At bare minimum he would have to wait for his VP choice to be filled, particularly if he needs - as he does - that tie breaking vote.

So she stays on as VP till there is a vote on her Supreme Court nomination. Presumably she gets it. Then she quits as VP. Then Biden names a new VP, the Senate votes, the VP is sworn in. Then Biden quits.

That is how I see it going. Pardon me, I don't quite follow where we are diverging.

[nightdrot]

@jordan156 No argument about the journalists. However, the public saw Mr. Biden campaign from his basement. Yet somehow concluded that suggested Biden was well qualified for the job.

If they are somehow duped by the media - and given the polls showing a high distrust of the media I am not sure how that would work - they have no one to blame but themselves. They could see the facts of the case, and they could see the argument being made by a media that they allegedly distrust.

Who ya gonna believe, me or your lie'n eyes, so to speak.

[OlderAndWiser]

You were talking about Pelosi as a successor because of her status as Speaker of the House.

[nightdrot]

@OlderAndWiser Oh, I see. Yes. If it is as I just laid it out, she likely would not be President. You are right. Biden would have to leave before a confirmation vote for his VP for Pelosi to get it.

Interesting though. You can see a potential split in the Democratic party. If Biden wants to get a VP through, he needs a more moderate choice. That would set the liberal wing of the party straight up.

Under those circumstances, Biden might avoid a fight by leaving before naming a VP. Harris wins the Court, Biden resigns, Pelosi takes over.

Then I can think of another scenario. What is Harris gets the nomination, Biden quits, and then Harris decided she'd rather be President and opts not to accept the Court nomination.

Really, you can play this game till your head explodes. However, I see now what you are saying.

[jordan156]

@nightdrot To be honest I am quite sad about the level reached by the level of our candidates during political debates. I have the impression that he is looking for the "Buzz" and that the most populist speeches reach a large population. The nuance seems to have disappeared from political speeches.

I fear that Mr. Biden's handling of the crisis with Russia is most clumsy. While I think we could manage this in a rather simple way, which would allow us to focus on China.

But again, my opinion may be a bit wrong, I don't know much about politics

[nightdrot]

@jordan156 Well, I think the Ukraine issue is a bit more complicated than it first appears. There are dynamics within NATO that are as much at issue as the straightforward Ukraine-Russia disputer. See also that conversation that we had here: Jan 24, 2022 U. S. Pentagon says 8.5 thousand troops have been put on "Highest Alert." Are we going to war? ↗

No need to re-read it. I just insert it as a reminder of some of the other dynamics at work.

As far as the current political debate. We are in a populist interregnum and that does not lend itself to a very complex political discussion. Throw in the splintering effects of modern technology - this in contrast to the homogenizing effects of technology from the 20s to the 70s - and the results are, I agree with you, not fun to watch.

Anyhow, if I may, a real pleasure talking with you and @OlderAndWiser. You are both among my favorites on this site.

[jordan156]

Well our short conversations have always been a pleasure.

Unfortunately once again, most political or historical subjects escape my knowledge.

[OlderAndWiser]

Yes, however this plays out, and think it leads to further implosion within the Democrat party. Inevitable. The only winning solution for the Democrats would be to try to get Joe Manchin in the presidency but the far left will never accept that.

[nightdrot]

@jordan156 Well, it may not be your area of expertise, but you still give a good account of yourself. You may not be a student of politics, but your are not lacking in intellectual firepower.

Take it from me - and I work in politics.

[nightdrot]

@OlderAndWiser Well, the parties are in transition right now so there will be a bit of tumult in each party. We've been here before.

That said, I think it highly unlikely that Biden will name Harris to the Supreme Court - and even less likely that Manchin could win the Democratic party nomination. Still, it is fun to play the scenarios out in your head.

Anyhow, as always, a great pleasure chatting with you.

[OlderAndWiser]

Always a pleasure.

[jordan156]

@nightdrot Thank you very much. Looking forward to speaking with you in the near future.

[AviatorTom]

That's an interesting Constitutional question. As I understand it... The line of succession would have the Speaker of the House (Nancy Polizzi) as President, and there would be no Vice President until the Senate votes for one (that's how Gerald Ford eventually became President), and that could be anyone who qualifies.

[AviatorTom]

Weird autocorrect... Nancy Pelosi

[OlderAndWiser]

To become a Spreme Court justice, Harris would need to be nominated by the president, so Biden would first nominate her. Then he would nominate a VP who would need to be confirmed by the House and Senate. If he then resigned, the new VP wpld become president and THAT president would then nominate a new VP, again to be confirmed by the House and Senate.

[exitseven]

If Biden appointed Harris to be a Supreme court justice he would have to choose a new VP. That person would ascent to the presidency.

If this was done simultaneously the Speaker of the House is the next in line and the President Pro Tem would be the VP.

[FunkyMonkee]

Nutty Nancy is third in line so, if Camel Hairs couldn't take it after Joe dies, steps down or gets carted off to the Ha-Ha Hotel, Nancy becomes president. I don't know who would be 4th. Maybe Sluggo.

[Lliam]

The Speaker of the House is next in the line of succession and would take over as president. I think the new president would then appoint a vice president.

[Jerre]

Well, the President would be the biggest bitch in the world - Nancy Pelosi

[slatyb]

What? Kamela Harris would not become a Supreme Court Justice. She would become President. I don't remember how the new Vice President is determined.

[MJtheCoach]

Doesn’t matter who the President is! If you haven’t figured that out yet!


The only and true president was JFK!

[noohair]

It would be the cult of socialism hiding behind the veneer of democrat.

[Reijen]

I just can't see this happening at all to comment on.

[fireforeffect]

the next in line is Nancy Pelosi as President, and they would appoint a Vice President as they did with Gerald Ford during the Nixon years.

[DARKCLOUD1945X]

Crazy Nancy that is who

[Iron_Man]

Amy Schuler

[Anonymous]

Pelosi and Clinton, the killer b**ch tag-team

[OddBeMe]

In that case Pelosi. Eat it Trumptards.