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A Further Perspective
A Heartbeat Away
The real reason to pay attention to tomorrow’s debate.
The vice-presidential debate on Thursday will inevitably lead to media commentary arguing it is of no consequence that one of the candidates lost the debate (or has been deemed by polls to have lost). After all, they will argue, voters vote for a president and not their running mate. Their running mates are simply campaign surrogates and attack dogs that have no bearing on a person’s vote.
But they are wrong. Or at least they should be. The vice president matters — now more than ever.
The vice president is more than an advisor in the White House. When watching the debate on Thursday, voters should be asking themselves: “Am I comfortable with this person taking over as President?”
Many think the chances are low that the vice president will have to assume power. However, eight presidents have died while in office — from William Henry Harrison to John F. Kennedy (that’s over 18% of the presidents in our young nation’s history). Meaning eight times a vice president has taken over as President.
But power has temporarily shifted to the vice president many more times. Whenever a president needs anesthesia, even for a brief routine procedure, the vice president assumes the power of the presidency. The same would be true if a president fell ill or was in a coma or an unconscious state for a period of time.
If President Obama needs a colonoscopy, do you feel comfortable with Acting President Biden?
What if an attack on the United States happens during those few hours? That would be some coincidence, wouldn’t it?
Maybe it wouldn’t be a coincidence at all. This day in age, terrorists have intelligence just like we do. Not that they need it. President Bush’s routine medical procedure to remove polyps was publicized well ahead of time in July 2007, and the entire world knew Vice President Cheney was taking the reins. If a terrorist group sees a transition of power as a moment of weakness, they will have all the information they need to stage an attack and take advantage of that weakness.
The national security threats of today not only create a challenge should a vice president take over, they increase the chance of such a transition. Terrorists have flown a plane into the Pentagon — our center of national defense. They have taken down two enormous office buildings. Is it unimaginable they will attack the White House? Air Force One? The president himself?
We live in a daunting age with many external threats. We know about some of them, but only the president knows about many more. The debate on Thursday will span every issue, domestic and foreign. I hope voters listen carefully and evaluate each candidate as a president, a title one of them is or will be only a heartbeat from holding — whether for minutes or years.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (15) | Leave a comment
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Von Mises Jr| 10.10.12 @ 8:10AM
If Romney wins and God forbid did not serve out his term, Ryan would not only be a fine President, but he would surround himself with bright, conservative patriots from the conservative movement.
If Obama is re-elected and did not serve out his term perhaps even for Impeachment due to his unconstitutional edicts, Biden would rely on staffing the government with the likes of Durbin, Schumer, Pelosi and other socialist.
Of course the main reason to defeat Obama is not the risk of Biden and his entourage. It is because Obama has surrounded himself with Czars that pledge love for Mao and Stalin, Cabinet Secretaries that declare war on coal, oil and many of our states, and that he is ruling as a dictator.
Al Adab| 10.10.12 @ 11:45AM
I'm on board with this one JR.
All the unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats (our mandarin class) who actually govern the nation anymore are the most clear and present danger to the Constitution... as are the office holders who appoint them.
Von Mises Jr| 10.10.12 @ 2:12PM
You mean the Constitution that Judge Napolitano's book aptly cites, "The Constitution in Exile."
We have one chance perhaps to get it back. It is four weeks from yesterday.
No one in DC seems to have any regard for it these days, especially the regime. The Congress and Supreme Court are not defending it either. But it belongs to us, and I will fight any threat to restore it.
Al Adab| 10.10.12 @ 3:15PM
Agreed, if we too must stand beside a "rood bridge", so be it. Interesting to consider by what means such things might eventuate. Old Texican (Ken) book, "America Said No"
DTOM| 10.10.12 @ 9:12AM
Whaddya mean IF President Obama needs a colonoscopy?
Has any human being ever needed that upper colonic cleansing that is the warm-up to a colonoscopy than Barrack Hussein Obama?
Anyone?
Ever?
Throughout all human history?
Throughout all time, space?
The man is so full of it that the Washington DC municipal waste treatment plant would shut down due to solids overload, should our littlest President actually follow that irksome, discomfiting preparatory procedure!!!
No sh*t.
Don't Tread On Me!!!
Kitty | 10.10.12 @ 11:38AM
You know the old joke: The thought of a President Biden is Obama's best insurance policy.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 10.10.12 @ 1:57PM
I think the only potential assailant who might feel otherwise is named Jill.
Who Knows?| 10.10.12 @ 11:59AM
Give Obama the Bird!
That’s my advice.
Make HIS day.
Since The One, the Legend in his own mind, actually thought he’d won the debate, obviously he’s severely ignorant. So, he direly NEEDS The Bird.
That is, even though he’s 51 years old, he must find time to watch Sesame Street, and learn whatever the Bird can teach him. There’s no doubt he missed some oh-so-human lessons, at the essential preschool level.
Seriously, though, with Intrade holding around 63% that BHO will win, I’m resolved to another four more years of worsening hell.
Logic does seem to imply that Obama is Carter redux, and that he should lose to Romney. However, there are still way too many powerful reasons to wonder.
Don’t forget voter fraud.
The main stream media is STILL committed to Obama.
He is the incumbent.
Many voters are ignorant or/and stupid.
Obama has blacks and women in his pocket.
It’s going to be tough to beat him.
I DO hope Romney-Ryan and their supporters squeeze, press, and beat over the head the phony Obama! Wouldn’t it be a great precedent, if the next four weeks they do the political equivalent of pouring salt on a defenseless slug.
Have you ever done that?
They writhe and shrivel up, and practically dissolve, right before your eyes.
Just do it!
Al Adab| 10.10.12 @ 1:04PM
Reports this morning that Obama attended the Raddatz wedding and later appointed her husband to head the FCC. Do we have reason to think she might be less that unconcerned given that husbands job depends on the pleasure of the President?
ElGordo| 10.10.12 @ 2:00PM
It is frightening to think that Biden is a heartbeat away from having his finger on the button
.
In the V.P.debate, as an economic expert, Ryan should challenge the reported 7.8% unemployment rate as false and explain why.
.
Ryan should also attack the Administration's Libyan foreign policy failure and its coverup.
Minuteman78| 10.10.12 @ 7:32PM
Biden is a worthless, stupid, blithering idiot, and what's so sad is probably 40% of the American public doesn't realize that.
Occam's Tool| 10.10.12 @ 11:55PM
Minuteman: No he isn't---that's an insult to blithering idiots.
soljerblue| 10.11.12 @ 8:15PM
What he most assuredly IS, is a bully.
Parker| 10.11.12 @ 5:14AM
I would be shocked if 40% of Americans even know the answer to the question, "Who is Joe Biden?"
soljerblue| 10.11.12 @ 8:14PM
Given the accuracy of your argument, I still have to ask: does the current occupant of the White House REALLY know about more threats than an intelligent, curious citizen? After all neither attends many intelligence briefings. Maybe Val Jarrett is up to snuff on that front.