Posted on 06/21/2007 3:56:12 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
(CBS) SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The make-believe presidential ticket of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is gaining some attention.
"There would be a fight to see who would be the presidential candidate and who would be the vice presidential candidate," Bloomberg quipped during a trip to California this week. "He would want to arm wrestle for the top spot; I would want to check the Constitution."
Most know the Constitution says a president must be a natural born citizen.
"It doesn't say anything about the vice president, but the 12th amendment to the constitution ratified in 1804 specifies that vice presidents have to meet the same constitutional requirements," said Jennifer Chacon, professor of constitutional law at UC Davis.
The Constitution states: "No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of president shall be eligible to that of vice president of the United States."
Chacon says the law is clear. But, it's not 100 percent clear that courts would challenge or enforce it rather that leave it to the political process. The only sure bet is a constitutional amendment.
Amendment or not, Sacramento based political consultant Gary Dietrich said he doesn't see a Vice President Schwarzenegger in our future.
"I almost think v.p. would be a step down for this guy. He's already said he's the governor of a nation state. He's been on trade missions to Canada. Why would he want to be v.p.?" said Dietrich.
He thinks a secretary of state appointment is more up Arnold's alley.
"I think we're talking an international role he's already carving out. He's talking with Tony Blair again and I think that's what we are talking about. I don't think he'll be sitting on the Hill waiting to see what happens in the Oval. That's not Arnold's cup of tea."
So bottom line -- no one has ever challenged the amendment. Governor Schwarzenegger said right now he is focused on his next three and a half years serving California. But he's not ruling anything out. He has always said he doesn't know what will happen next.
I need to find a new hobby, politics is killing me..
In order to be eligible for VP, he has to be eligible for president. He’s not. He was not born in the US.
WTF? You can’t “challenge” a Constitutional amendment except with another amendment. The wording is clear and unambiguous.
“The Constitution states: “No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of president shall be eligible to that of vice president of the United States.”
Duh, Mikey, at this point at least, any 6th grader knows that!
The Governator is constitutionally ineligible to be president, so running for VP would be a total waste of time, and may not even be legal or constitutional...but if it were to come to pass, it would make the Speaker of the House effectively 2nd in line of succession - and that prospect is almost more frightening than President Hillary. Shudder....
What kind of Orwellian doublespeak is this???
Bloomberg/Arnie. Now that’s what I call the “Super-RINO” ticket.
The question is, would they take away more votes from the Dems or the GOP? My guess would be the Dems.
Oh my. Can you see the effect of Arnold as SecState??? :D
“Disarm. Or I will remove them.”
The Constitution states: "No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of president shall be eligible to that of vice president of the United States."
Jeez, what a dingy bathead. I is unbelievable a university like UC Davis would hire this twit.
RINO’s and Liberals, not a dimes worth of difference between them.
This smacks of Bill Clinton when he wanted someone to challenge the two term limit.
The constitution is clear on the subject, so it should not be an issue at all. It’s hard to imagine how a court could reinterpret that plain language to say that Arnold is eligible to run for VP or Pres.
They don't enforce Article IV, Section 4 about "protecting the states from invasion", so I guess they figure that whole thing about "natural-born citizen" is irrelevant, too.
Good grief, that’s idiotic.
Let’s not have another amendment. We don’t yet know what the amendments we have already actually mean or do.
I can think of worse combos. BJ Clinton is also eligible for VP under current rules, no?
HE just wanted to know if you knew ...
You and me both.
People everywhere are going plumb crazy, and I think it’s contagious.
I’m sure some black-robed judge will find a loophole, just like they found that magical right to abortion.
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