There are two main qualifications for running for President of the US or for VP. First you must be 35 years of age or older, and second, you must have been born in the US. There is a specific order that is in place for if the President dies. If the President dies, then the VP becomes president. If they both die, the Speaker of the House is next. If all three die, then it is the Senate Pro Tempore, and then Secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense etc.
What if, for example, the Speaker of the House was Arnold Schwartzeneger, who was not born in the US? What if something happened in the 1970s and it got down to Henry Kissenger as Sec State, also not born in the US?
2007-05-21 15:54:54 · 7 answers · asked by gregghalecki 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Government
good question.....
never thought of that...
but...
if it really did get down to that, I think the US would have bigger problems than worrying about who is president :)
2007-05-21 16:07:15 · answer #1 · answered by Mike 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Article II, Section I of the U.S. Constitution outlines that only natural-born U.S. citizens of the age of 35 years shall be eligible to the Office of President. It goes on to read:
"In the case of the removal of the President from office...the same shall devolve on the Vice-President..." I would take that to mean that if the elected Vice-President was not a natural-born citizen of the age of 35 years, (s)he would not be eligible to serve as President in the case of the current President being removed from, or incapable of maintaining his position. It would make an interesting legal challenge. Wonder if might happen anytime soon in this ethnically-diverse America? -RKO- 05/21/07
2007-05-21 23:17:25 · answer #2 · answered by -RKO- 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
answers above are correct UNLESS the 14th amendment's powers also apply to this clause in article II. Some law professors including chimorinsky believe this is true and that a non native born can become president.
2007-05-22 02:47:58 · answer #3 · answered by ainger452 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's never been tested, I don't think, but logic dictates that the person would be passed over in order of succession so that the next person who is 35+ and native-born American would ascend to the Presidency.
Kissinger (German-born) was Nixon's Secy of State (fourth in succession order), and he would have been passed over - as an example.
2007-05-21 23:04:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
No. You cannot be president if you were not born in the United States no matter what.
If we lose that many people all at once or one right after another, we got issues bigger than what you're asking.
2007-05-21 23:12:02 · answer #5 · answered by blondietatt04 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You cannot take the office if you do not qualify. Period.
2007-05-21 22:57:09 · answer #6 · answered by Chainsaw 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
no they cannot
2007-05-21 22:58:26 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋