New MSNBC.com poll based on WP Question: Bill Clinton for VP?

[sinkingfeeling]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15346384/

"Should a president who has already served two terms be allowed to be vice president?"

61% - Yes
36% - No

Washington Post story here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15346079/

[in_cog_ni_to]

1. Well, for Bill, I'd say YES..but for the idiot-in-chief.....HELL NO!

:hi:

[Oceansaway]

2. .

Should a president who has already served two terms be allowed to be vice president? * 9994 responses

Yes.
61%

No.
36%

I don't know.
3.1%

[never_get_over_it]

3. Well since it would be unconstitutional I'd have to say NO - eom

[sinkingfeeling]

9. You didn't read the article...constitutional experts are split on if it's

unconstitutional or not.

[never_get_over_it]

17. Yep saw that shortly after I posted

and actually made another post concerning the issue. I personally think this is a stupid poll - and if any former two term President decided to run (and I don't think for a minute any one of them would) the constitutionality would have to be tested.

[Gabi Hayes]

4. most idiotic poll question EVER!

constitutional impossibility

christ

[flyingfysh]

12. it could be constitutional

I believe the constitution says that someone can't be *elected* to more than 2 terms. But if he is VP, he could become president without being elected in case of a vacancy in the presidency.

In 1968, LBJ had already served more than one term, and was elegible to run for another (but chose not to). He would have wound up serving more than 2 full terms. His partial term would have come before the 2 full terms. If Bill Clinton is VP, he could have a partial term after the 2 full terms. Does before or after really make a difference?

[Fridays Child]

5. Much as I admire President Clinton, I have to say no.

The Constitution may actually prohibit such a thing but, even if it doesn't, imagine the chimp getting on a ticket as veep. If the ticket won, how long do you suppose it would be before some "unfortunate incident" brought that nightmare of a slimebag back into the White House?

[liberal N proud]

6. Are they feeling the public out thinking they could switch dimson to VP

Run Suicide McCain of Pres and then continue to decimate America and the world?

[RufusEarl]

7. Another stupid poll, he wouldn't and he can't.

http://volokh.com/posts/1150738214.shtml

[Ellis Wyatt]

8. Not unconstitutional! (I believe)

I remember when Reagan was president, people were talking about the same thing. You can only be ELECTED twice, but there is nothing in the amendment about how long you can serve.

So Clinton could go in as VP, and if something should happen to whomever is elected president (or if they step down), he would become president again.

The actual amendment:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

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.

Section 2

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.

[Gabi Hayes]

14. guess you missed this part of the wiki article:

Individuals currently restricted by the amendment
As of 2006, the following living current and former presidents are restricted by this amendment:

Gerald Ford may be elected once only, because he had served more than 2 years of Nixon's term.

Jimmy Carter may be elected for one more term.

George H. W. Bush may be elected one more time.

Bill Clinton may not be elected President again and is ineligible to serve as Vice President, as he has been elected twice already.

George W. Bush may not be elected President again and is ineligible to serve as Vice President, as he has been elected twice already (this regardless of whether he completes his current term in office).

The amendment imposes no restriction on the number of terms a person may serve as Vice President, or the ability of current or former Vice Presidents to be elected to the Presidency.

Any of those above may succeed to the Presidency under the terms of the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. The 22nd Amendment only restricts certain people from being elected to the Presidency (but see above concerning the 12th Amendment). If the 12th Amendment does not restrict non-elected succession, then any former President, except for Bill Clinton, could become President again by first becoming Vice President (or reaching the top of the order of succession via some other office). The only plausible case is that of Bill Clinton, the other living ex-Presidents being well past the typical age for a Vice President or Cabinet Secretary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

[Ellis Wyatt]

16. Wiki

Is not a source. I don't read Wiki for information. I read Wiki for their source. The source is the amendment. And the amendment says absolutely nothing about not allowing a president to run for vice president.

[never_get_over_it]

15. Here is the amendment

since the amendment states elected - I would imagine that the Constitutionality would have to be ruled on by the Supreme Court - however since you don't actually vote separately for the Vice President and the main function of a VP is to replace a President I would be on the side of those who say it would be unconstitutional.

Amendment 22 - Presidential Term Limits
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.

[Jawja]

10. Keep in mind when you vote

that a "yes" applies to George W. Bush as well.

[Wickerman]

11. I believe Bush on any ticket at this point in time would be the kiss of

death. Most know he is a figurehead - he would be worthless as a VP - they couldn't even send him to State funerals - we all know he'd even fuck that up.

[williesgirl]

13. This kind of talk is just another effort to get out the Repuke vote

anything will either Clinton's name on it will energize their base.