Ghoulish Media Fantasy: Hillary's Death Could Give Bill Third Term

Newsmax ^ | 5/7/02 | Carl Limbacher

[Lucky2]

Tuesday May 7, 2002; 8:43 a.m. EDT Ghoulish Media Fantasy: Hillary's Death Could Give Bill Third Term

Just how badly do some journalists want to see Bill Clinton serve another term as president? Enough to openly speculate about a scenario where Hillary Clinton's death would nullify the 22nd Amendment baring a third term for her husband.

That's the fantasy offered up by gossip columnist and media F.O.B. Liz Smith, who said Tuesday that she'd like to hear from "some Constitutional experts" on whether the macabre scheme would be "legally possible."

Here's the plan: Have Hillary run for president with hubby Bill on the ticket as V.P. They win the election, then - oops - "should the hypothetical President Hillary die in office, would her husband be allowed to ascend to the Oval Office again?"

Smith argues the answer should be yes. The gossip columnist and "many others," she says, already believe the 22nd Amendment is unconstitutional. And if Vice President Bill were succeed his dead wife, the columnist contends, he would have "'inherited' the office. He would have still 'run for it,' in a manner of speaking."

Smith decided to air the ghoulish third term scheme - which she says was floated to her "the other day by someone" - after she decided "it bears thinking about, even if - as we always say when we're treading hypothetically - it is a complete unfeasible idea."

But, the friend of Bill adds, "several smarties I know tell me" that if President Hillary dies in office, Vice President Bill would indeed be able to return to the throne.

Unbeknownst, to Smith, Mr. Bill has already been contemplating ways around the 22nd amendment. (See: Clinton Eyeing Third Presidential Run?)

In off the cuff remarks to the The Las Vegas Weekly last September, the ex-prez said it was conceivable he "could be reelected."

"Clinton had obviously researched the subject," the paper observed, since he spoke "for five minutes about constitutional law and academic studies about the prospect" of revising the 22nd Amendment limiting a president to two terms.

"Some constitutional experts think it is possible," Hillary's husband told reporters.

[Lucky2]

Forgive me if this is already posted. I did a search and couldn't find it.

[Phantom Lord]

Having already served two full terms as president, disgraced former president Clinton would be prevented from taking the VP spot on the ticket.

Why do people keep dreaming up wholly impossible scenarios for Bill to become president again? Push for the repeal of the 22nd Amendment or shut the hell up.

[Phantom Lord]

Has anyone asked Arlene Spector if there is anything in Scottish Law that will allow Bill to become president again?

[TwoStep]

**Barf Alert**--idea! Ann Coulter, we need your opinion!

[afraidfortherepublic]

I don't think you are allowed to run for VP unless you are legally (Constitutionally) able to become President. That is why Cheney had to re-register in Wyoming -- because of the rule that President and VP had to be from different states, and Cheney had been living in Texas. Therefore, Bill could never be nominated as VP. IMHO, this whole premise is stupid.

[eFudd]

Interesting for Hillary.

Then she would have those on the right and those on the left wishing that she would drop dead.

I wonder what it is like having a few hundred million people hoping for your demise?

[Fudd]

I think the biggest obstacle to Slick running as VP is the constitutional requirement that a VP candidate must meet the constitutional requirements for being POTUS. Since the Constitution, as amended, limits a President to two terms, Slick is constitutionally barred from running as VP.

That's not to say that Slick and his cult wouldn't ignore what the constitution says and do it anyways......

[cactusSharp]

however,I did like the part about a sudden Hillary death ,that was a good part

[19th LA Inf]

How can an amendment to the Constitution be "unconstitutional"?

[TADSLOS]

The point is moot since Hillary would drop kick him out of her personal/political life within days after her "inauguration". Why keep trouble around when you've reached the pinnacle? He would be heading back to East Timor to pick up the last vestiges of his "greatness" and a few STDs.

[lsee]

Technically, since her black pantsuit can stand up by itself, it would be difficult to prove the wearer's death. Because of Hillary's well-known stricture against subordinates looking her in the eyes, her demise might even go unnoticed. As long as she was propped up by the pantsuit, her staff would politely ignore the familiar, yet strangely stronger stench, not realizing actual decomposition had occurred until she dropped a limb or something like that.

Besides, everyone knows the deal she made with Satan includes some clause about immortality...Bill better come up with another plan.

[MK]

I don't think you are allowed to run for VP unless you are legally (Constitutionally) able to become President.

Bill Clinton cannot be VP. He is barred from doing so by the 12th Amendment--which states that whatever disqualifies one from the Presidency (in Bubba's case, having been elected to the office twice, according to the 22d Amendment) also disqualifies one for the VP slot. Moreover, a 1965 federal law forbids immediate family members from serving together in the same administration at Cabinet level or higher.

[Izzy Dunne]

I think the biggest obstacle to Slick running as VP is the constitutional requirement that a VP candidate must meet the constitutional requirements for being POTUS.

That's what I thought, too.
But when I tried to look up chapter and verse, I could not find it --- Can anyone cite this requirement?

The Constitution is here

Article II, section I, paragraph 5 says: No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

But that says nothing about having to meet the qualifications for President.

Can anybody cite this requirement?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

There's a little good in everyone.

[Izzy Dunne]

Ahhh, thank you!
The last sentence of the 12th amendment reads:

But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

I searched for "vice pres" rather than "vice-pres"

[FourtySeven]

LOL

[Izzy Dunne]

Enough to openly speculate about a scenario where Hillary Clinton's death would nullify the 22nd Amendment baring a third term for her husband.

I presume she means "barring", not "baring".
Why would her death suddenly "nullify the 22nd Amendment"???
Talk about delusions of grandeur...

[Polybius]

How can an amendment to the Constitution be "unconstitutional"?

Remember, that thought originated in a Liberal's brain.

They are different from us. Don't try to understand their thought process. It's not normal.

[RWG]

Amendment is unconstitutional...is this possible?

[vrwinger]

How can an amendment to the Constitution be "unconstitutional"?

LOL! That was my thought exactly! But, in DemocRAT-Speak, "unconstutional" means "Laws we, as socialists, find inconvenient."

[Congressman Billybob]

You have that exactly right. No one is eligible to run for and be elected as Vice President, who is not qualified to be President, should the elected President die or become disabled. The 22nd Amendment bars anyone from becoming President who has already served two terms.

Therefore, Billyjeff Clinton is barred from running for Vice President because he is disqualified from being President.

I am absolutely amazed that anyone is so dumb as to put in print any such speculation. The answer is a slam dunk. It is no. No one who can read the Constitution, not to mention being an expert in that area, should have any doubts whatsoever about this idea -- which is factually, ethically, historically and constitutionally GARBAGE.

Congressman Billybob

Click here to fight Campaign Finance "Reform" - CFR

Click here for latest: "President John Edwards -- Think About It."

[Uncle Fud]

I always look to Liz Smith as the authority on constitutional law, don't you all?

Although given a lot of the decisions in the last forty years, she may well be one.....

[cksharks]

I dont know about her assumptions but I would think that a assload of people in the U.S. would like to see both of them gone hell.

[The Old Hoosier]

Um, how can an amendment to the Constitution be unconstitutional?

[dead]

The gossip columnist and "many others," she says, already believe the 22nd Amendment is unconstitutional.

Hard to believe that she finds “many others” as retarded as herself to pal around with.

By definition, a ratified constitutional amendment cannot be unconstitutional.

[stlrocket]

Hillary - How she really see's herself.

HILLARY - SIEG HEIL

[GoreIsLove]

...Push for the repeal of the 22nd Amendment or shut the hell up.

I remember both Reagan and Eisenhower people thinking the same thing. The problem, which the FOB's don't consider, is that by the time this amendment is repealed, the person you intend to take advantage of it would no longer be able take advantage of it.

The grand old irony would be if these people get the 22nd Amendment repealed just in time for a Republican to take advantage of it.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Interesting for Hillary.

Then she would have those on the right and those on the left wishing that she would drop dead.

Yes, but at different times. Those on the right would be rooting for before the election; those on the left for after.

[afraidfortherepublic]

...however,I did like the part about a sudden Hillary death ,that was a good part

I was afraid to comment on that because I thought that it might violate JimRob's violence rule! LOL

[KSCITYBOY]

Because kneepad clinton worshippers are morons.

[Drew68]

From The Onion

      WASHINGTON, DC—Denouncing the American electoral process as "immoral and corrupt," President Clinton announced Tuesday that he will not step down on Jan. 20, 2001, declaring himself "President For Life."

	Above: Clinton greets his subjects from a White House balcony.

      Proclaiming Nov. 14 a new national holiday as "Day One of Americlintonian Year Zero," Clinton issued a directive of total martial law over "all territories formerly known as these United States, from now on to be called the Holy United Imperial Americlintonian Demopublic (HUIAD)." He added that all election results are "hereby invalidated under Demopublican provisional law."

      "The American people have spoken," Clinton said. "By failing to generate a 51 percent majority for either candidate, they have shown their inability to muster the drive to collective action. The time has come for a new America, a strong Americlintonian Empire, capable of providing the indecisive electorate with direction through one man's sheer force of will."

      Dressed in full military regalia and flanked by members of his elite Demopublican Guard, Clinton told reporters, "Let all peoples of the land know this: The era of bipartisan inaction and paralysis has ended. The Age of the Great Cleansing Fire begins today."

      A significant portion of the U.S. Armed Forces has sworn loyalty to the Imperial Demopublic Council of Generals, the new military wing of the Clinton regime. But despite such support, many political observers question the constitutionality of Clinton's actions, which include the burning of the Constitution, the dissolution of Congress, and the establishment of "re-education camps" in suburban D.C.

      At a sparsely attended press conference, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno raised the prospect of a Justice Department investigation of "possible illegal activities" on the part of Clinton. Most observers, however, believe that such a probe is unlikely: Less than an hour after Reno spoke, her battered and broken body was publicly fed to Clinton's dogs.

      "Let them bring their pitiful reprisals to the impotent courts. Their lawyers and lawsuits shall face the wrath of a people united by the almighty fist," said Clinton, whose divinity as HUIAD's first Emperor-God was ratified late Tuesday night by the Americlintonic High Priest Council. "Let them recount their puny, paper ballots. They shall wither, as will the bankers, lawyers, and lobbyists all, before the Holy Cause of Americlintonia's glorious, righteous might."

      Defiant in the face of objections from the Bush and Gore camps, Clinton has consolidated his power over the last several days, ordering armed takeovers of major federal buildings and the systematic collection and display of his enemies' heads on iron pikes.

      In a test of the new regime's power outside the nation's capital, Senator-Elect Hillary Clinton, rechristened "Bride of The Lord Clinton On Earth," summarily ordered HUIAD troops to fire on Manhattan crowds, leaving more than 2,500 dead on Wall Street and quickly dispersing protesters loyal to defeated Republican challenger Rick Lazio.

      Resistance movements are already forming. The new Legion Of Californians has sworn to defeat HUIAD in the west, and anti-Clinton groups have been reported across the U.S., including Naderist factions in Washington State and Maine.

      Clinton has publicly dismissed such insurrections as "pathetic," confident that nothing will stem his authority over "the former U.S."

      "The rebels are but mewling kittens who shall taste blood instead of milk," said Clinton, threatening to deploy HUAID-controlled nuclear weapons against members of resistance movements. "The holy power of the atom shall, if it must, cleanse this nation of all infidels."

[Iota]

The answer is a slam dunk. It is no.

I disagree. The 22nd Amendment doesn't prevent anyone from becoming President more than twice; it bars them from being elected more than twice:

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. . . .

Since he wouldn't be elected President a third time, he wouldn't be in violation of the Constitution.

[Billthedrill]

How can an amendment to the Constitution be "unconstitutional"?

< liberal stupidity mode > Well, it is if you just close your eyes and wish hard enough. I mean, this is the Clintons we're talking about here, not ordinary people like you and me. They're special people, and we should have special rules for them. < /liberal stupidity >

BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Yeh, and that "Article One" business...that's unconstitutional too...and I'm not all that happy about the Preamble either...

[Geronimo]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Vanity Fair magazine has dubbed Chelsea Clinton "the new J.F.K. Jr" in a feature article tracing the transformation of America's former "first daughter" from a miserable student at England's Oxford University to a celebrity with a very public love life...

Vanity Fair Sees Chelsea Transformed to Sex Symbol...

Barf...

[headsonpikes]

"However I did like the part about a sudden Hilary death, that was a good part."

That WAS a good part! ya gotta enjoy the good parts while you can. ;^)

[Congressman Billybob]

You may disagree, but the Constitution saysyou are dead wrong. Read the 12th Amendment. No one can run for Vice President who is not qualified to be President. That shuts off the loophole you're blithering about that he wouldn't "run" for President, but just get bumped up. HE CAN'T RUN FOR VICE PRESIDENT, EITHER.

Have you got it now?

[Iota]

Read the 12th Amendment.

Even better, I'll read it to you. Here's the important part: "But no person constitutionally eligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States". It doesn't help your argument.

There's a difference between being eligible to BECOME President and being eligible to RUN FOR President. The 22nd Amendment makes Clinton ineligible to RUN FOR President ("No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice . . .".) Unless he loses his citizenship, though, he still meets the Constitutional requirements to BECOME President (Art. II, Sec. 1: "No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.") Because he's still Constitutionally eligible to BECOME President, he's still Constitutionally eligible to RUN FOR Vice President.

[Iota]

Err, make that "But no person constitutionally INeligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States".

[buffyt]

I HOPE You are right!!!!

[Congressman Billybob]

"Are ya thick, mon?" The 12th and 22nd Amendments are PART OF THE CONSTITUTION. And the Constitution's text states that all amendments become part of the base Constitution as if they had been written in at the beginning.

It is absolutely irrelevant that Billyjeff Clinton or anyone else meets the requirements to be President that were laid down in the Constitution in 1787. Anyone who does not now meet the requirements of the 12th and 22nd Amendments also, cannot run for President, and also, CANNOT RUN FOR VICE PRESIDENT.

The idea is unconstitutional on its face, from the plain text of the WHOLE Constitution -- and that includes all of the Amendments. Anyone can manufacture an argument by conveniently leaving out some of the language in the WHOLE Constitution. The lamestream media does that all the time.

But FReepers are supposed to be better than that. FReepers are supposed to do their homework, and put up rational posts. I repeat, from the movie, "Waking Ned Devine," "Are ya thick. mon?"

Congressman Billybob

Click here to fight Campaign Finance "Reform" - CFR

Click here for latest: "President John Edwards -- Think About It."

[Senator Pardek]

The gossip columnist and "many others," she says, already believe the 22nd Amendment is unconstitutional.

LOL - Good grief...

[Iota]

But FReepers are supposed to be better than that. FReepers are supposed to do their homework, and put up rational posts. Agreed. And that's why I'm going to try one more time to correct your error.

Here's what the pertinent part of the 12th Amendment says: "But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States."

Here's what you appear to think it says: "But no person constitutionally ineligible to RUN FOR the office of President shall be eligible to RUN FOR that of Vice-President of the United States."

Because Clinton was elected President twice, the 22nd Amendment bars him from running again, and thus if the preceding text said "RUN FOR", his ineligibility to run for the presidency would keep him from running for the vice-presidency.

But the 12th Amendment doesn't say "RUN FOR". It says anyone who's "ineligible to the office" of the President can't be the Vice President. Clinton's still "eligible to the office" of the President, because he still meets the requirements of Art. II, Sec. 1, because he's still a natural born citizen over the age of 35. Because he's still "eligible to the office" of President, he can run for Vice President without running afoul of the 12th Amendment.

All the wishful thinking in the world doesn't change that.

[cibco]

What is the meaning of "is"?

[Iota]

que?

[Tymesup]

I agree with Iota. If the writers of the 22nd Amendment had meant the VP couldn't succeed to the office, they should have said so. They did say you can't be elected.

As a practical matter, do we think anyone with a wish to keep living would want Bill as VP?

[angkor]

Because he's still Constitutionally eligible to BECOME President, he's still Constitutionally eligible to RUN FOR Vice President.

You're getting caught-up in bizarre semantic thickets.

Ineligible means can't run, can't assume, can't hold.

He cannot hold the office again (nor that of VP), because the Constitution says one cannot hold more than two terms in the office.

What are you missing?

[Iota]

As a practical matter, do we think anyone with a wish to keep living would want Bill as VP?

And if he runs for the Senate, anyone between him and the office of President Pro Tempore (4th in line of succession) best be keepin' an eye over his or her shoulder.

[Iota]

I'm not missing anything. Read the Constitution itself. The 22nd Amendment says, and I quote: "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice". You seem to think it says "No person shall BE President more than twice" or "No person shall SERVE MORE THAN TWO TERMS AS President." But it doesn't say that. It says what it says. And, because it says what it says, it bars two living Americans from running for President. But it does not bar those two Americans from becoming President via the Vice Presidency, or via the office of President Pro Tempore of the Senate (4th in line of succession) or via the office of Secretary of Veterans Affairs (17th in line of succession). All it says is you can't be elected to the Presidency more than twice.

Think of it this way: Back in the late 1940s and early 1950s, when this Amendment was being debated, people weren't worried about some popular politico Grover Clevelanding his way in and out and in and out of the presidency (a la Winston Churchill and the Prime Ministership). In other words, they weren't morally outraged at or mortally offended by the prospect of someone simply serving as president for more than eight years. Instead, they were worried about an FDR-like creature using the power of the presidency to see himself reelected indefinitely, becoming a de facto dictator. Thus, they put a limit on the number of times someone could be ELECTED president, not how many times someone could SERVE as president. If the president makes it in for a third term via the vice presidency or the Speakership, for example, he wouldn't have done so via the FDR route, which is what they were trying to avoid.

[DSH]

But the 12th Amendment doesn't say "RUN FOR". It says anyone who's "ineligible to the office" of the President can't be the Vice President. Clinton's still "eligible to the office" of the President, because he still meets the requirements of Art. II, Sec. 1, because he's still a natural born citizen over the age of 35. Because he's still "eligible to the office" of President, he can run for Vice President without running afoul of the 12th Amendment.

I think yours is the better reading, and expressed with considerably less self-satisfied arrogance than some others here. At a minimum, the issue is not free from doubt.

Clinton is clearly barred from being "elected" President again -- I would argue that nothing in the Constitution would actually prevent him from "running" for President if he were so inclined; but any Elector's vote cast for him would not be cognizable under the 22nd Amendment -- but it is not so clear that he is constitutionally "ineligible" to serve as President. Obviously, at the time the 12th Amendment was adopted, a person who had twice been elected President was not constitutionally "ineligible" within the meaning of the amendment. This, along with the fact that the plain language of the 22nd Amendment bars a person from being "elected" President more than twice -- not from serving more than two terms -- lends support to your position.

[angkor]

But it does not bar those two Americans from becoming President via the Vice Presidency, or via the office of President Pro Tempore of the Senate

Ummmm.... yes, I'm afraid it does.

You make some interesting points, unfortunately they'll be quickly dismissed by the USSC if Bill Clinton runs for VP.

Nice semantic hairsplitting, but it just ain't happening.