There's precedent for hiring a general for WH chief of staff

[bigtree]

Kevin M. Kruse‏ @KevinMKruse

In May 1973, as the Watergate scandal deepened, Richard Nixon took the unusual step of making a general his new White House Chief of Staff.

[imanamerican63]

1. He following Nixon's blueprints!

[onenote]

2. Alexander Haig - also a former general

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Same guy. Ford "inherited" Haig.

[csziggy]

5. Alexander "I am in control here" Haig!

Reagan assassination attempt: "I am in control here"

In 1981, following the March 30 assassination attempt on Reagan, Haig asserted before reporters "I am in control here" as a result of Reagan's hospitalization, indicating that, while President Reagan had not "transfer[red] the helm", Haig was in fact directing White House crisis management until Vice President Bush arrived in Washington to assume that role.

Constitutionally, gentlemen, you have the President, the Vice President, and the Secretary of State in that order, and should the President decide he wants to transfer the helm to the Vice President, he will do so. He has not done that. As of now, I am in control here, in the White House, pending return of the Vice President and in close touch with him. If something came up, I would check with him, of course.
— Alexander Haig, Alexander Haig, autobiographical profile in Time magazine, April 2, 1984[30]

Haig was incorrect: The US Constitution, including both the presidential line of succession and the 25th Amendment, dictates what happens when a president is incapacitated. The Speaker of the House (at the time, Tip O'Neill, Democrat) and the President pro tempore of the Senate (at the time, Strom Thurmond, Republican), precede the Secretary of State in the line of succession. Haig later clarified,

I wasn't talking about transition. I was talking about the executive branch, who is running the government. That was the question asked. It was not, "Who is in line should the President die?"
— Alexander Haig, Alexander Haig interview with 60 Minutes II April 23, 2001

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Haig#Reagan_assassination_attempt:_.22I_am_in_control_here.22

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. Yup, that's what I really remember him for.

[flotsam]

4. Reagan was shot...

“Who is making the decisions for the government right now?” a reporter asked.

“Constitutionally, gentlemen, you have the president, the vice president and the secretary of state, in that order,” Haig said.

It was a self-inflicted wound that was immediately followed by a second. “As of now,” Haig said. “I am in control here at the White House, pending return of the vice president.”

“I was astounded that he would say something so eminently stupid,” Allen recalled.

[grantcart]

6. lol, have a little anecdote about Haig

Working in Indonesia/Singapore for what is now IOM we had a large operation in Indonesia and I would visit once a month. The center of operations was Tanjung Penang and the refugee camp was in Galang. We had a great group of doctors and nurses who had the same esprit de corps of the doctors in Mash.

In the evenings everyone would gather in the market drink beer and invented a mythological “Royal Tanjung Penang Yacht Club” which had no facilities, and no boats but would coerce all of the diplomats, bureaucrats and NGOs visiting to fork over $ 50 for membership.

Eventually with more than 1,000 members they started publishing a high quality full glossy magazine that purported to show the facilities and made up stories about various events. (If you fell behind in your dues then all kinds of scandalous references would be included about your drunken behavior at the last Club Social.)

The greatest feature was a monthly exchange of letters with famous people who were asked if they would agree to have the beautiful addition to the RTPYC club house named after them.

The correspondence, which included exchange of letters with Richard Nixon, Queen of England, and various other well known personalities resulted in quirky letters but eventually a polite decline.

Except for Alexander Haig who graciously accepted the honor and said that he would be happy to come for the opening of the imaginary addition.

[mopinko]

9. bwahahahha.

great story.

[oasis]

10. That one's a gem.

[Historic NY]

8. The bigger precedent is that He resigned months later.

so maybe there is hope after all.