Go back
Question about VPs and reelection

Question about VPs and reelection

Debates

vivify
rain

Joined
08 Mar 11
Moves
12456
Clock
06 Mar 16
1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

Suppose something happened that required Joe Biden to become the new president. Then imagine that Biden ran for present, and got elected.

Would Biden then be allowed to run a second time for president? Because technically, he's only been elected once. Would the fact that Biden served two terms legally prevent him from doing so, even though one of those wasn't a full term?

sh76
Civis Americanus Sum

New York

Joined
26 Dec 07
Moves
17585
Clock
06 Mar 16
2 edits
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by vivify
Suppose something happened that required Joe Biden to become the new president. Then imagine that Biden ran for present, and got elected.

Would Biden then be allowed to run a second time for president? Because technically, he's only been elected once. Or would that fact that Biden served two terms legally prevent him from doing so, even though one of those wasn't a full term?
Yes, a person who has served less than half of one term can serve an additional two terms. If he had served more than 2 years, he would only be eligible for one more term.

Edit: That's why LBJ was eligible to run in 1968 (he didn't run, though). He became President on November 22, 1963 and was re-elected in 1964. Because he served less than half of Kennedy's term, he was eligible to be elected again in 1968.

vivify
rain

Joined
08 Mar 11
Moves
12456
Clock
06 Mar 16
Vote Up
Vote Down

Okay, thanks.

AThousandYoung
1st Dan TKD Kukkiwon

tinyurl.com/2te6yzdu

Joined
23 Aug 04
Moves
26758
Clock
06 Mar 16
1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

Could Obama become Hillary's VP?

Or Bill?

vivify
rain

Joined
08 Mar 11
Moves
12456
Clock
06 Mar 16
Vote Up
Vote Down

Actually, one more question:

Can a person be VP under more than one president? Could Biden be the VP for whoever wins the election?

AThousandYoung
1st Dan TKD Kukkiwon

tinyurl.com/2te6yzdu

Joined
23 Aug 04
Moves
26758
Clock
06 Mar 16
1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by vivify
Actually, one more question:

Can a person be VP under more than one president? Could Biden be the VP for whoever wins the election?
Could Obama be Biden's VP?

This sort of nonsense is how Vladimir Putin has stayed in power.

sh76
Civis Americanus Sum

New York

Joined
26 Dec 07
Moves
17585
Clock
06 Mar 16
1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by vivify
Actually, one more question:

Can a person be VP under more than one president? Could Biden be the VP for whoever wins the election?
I don't see why not. There's no term limitation on Vice Presidents in the Constitution.

I've heard people ask whether a person who has already served 2 terms (e.g., Obama) could become VP. I would think the answer should be no, but I don't know of any authority for that.

Edit: I see ATY asked that above. 😉

sh76
Civis Americanus Sum

New York

Joined
26 Dec 07
Moves
17585
Clock
06 Mar 16
Vote Up
Vote Down

Actually, now I see that the Twelfth Amendment provides that anyone constitutionally ineligible to the office of President is ineligible to that of Vice President.

Though, since the 26th Amendment was passed much later, I don't know that a 2 term president would necessarily be considered "constitutionally ineligible" for purposes of the 12th Amendment. But I still would feel pretty safe answering the question with a "probably not."

no1marauder
Naturally Right

Somewhere Else

Joined
22 Jun 04
Moves
42677
Clock
06 Mar 16
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by sh76
Actually, now I see that the Twelfth Amendment provides that anyone constitutionally ineligible to the office of President is ineligible to that of Vice President.

Though, since the 26th Amendment was passed much later, I don't know that a 2 term president would necessarily be considered "constitutionally ineligible" for purposes of the 12th Amendment. But I still would feel pretty safe answering the question with a "probably not."
The 26th Amendment is part of the Constitution and thus someone who has already completed two terms as President is "constitutionally ineligible" under the terms of the 12th Amendment.

twhitehead

Cape Town

Joined
14 Apr 05
Moves
52945
Clock
06 Mar 16
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Could Obama be Biden's VP?
I rather suspect he feels ready for retirement.

twhitehead

Cape Town

Joined
14 Apr 05
Moves
52945
Clock
06 Mar 16
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by vivify
Suppose something happened that required Joe Biden to become the new president.
Got something planned for when Trump wins the election?

F

Cobra Command HQ

Joined
02 Jan 15
Moves
10189
Clock
06 Mar 16
1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by twhitehead
I rather suspect he feels ready for retirement.
Being VP is like being retired, they don't really do too much. I think they gotta judge a beauty contest once a year or something.

no1marauder
Naturally Right

Somewhere Else

Joined
22 Jun 04
Moves
42677
Clock
06 Mar 16
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by FishHead111
Being VP is like being retired, they don't really do too much. I think they gotta judge a beauty contest once a year or something.
John Nance Garner, one of FDR's VPs, has been quoted as saying that the Vice Presidency "is not worth a bucket of warm spit" though he probably actually compared it to a different bodily fluid. http://www.cah.utexas.edu/news/press_release.php?press=press_bucket

n

The Catbird's Seat

Joined
21 Oct 06
Moves
2598
Clock
06 Mar 16
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by twhitehead
I rather suspect he feels ready for retirement.
He has books to write.

Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.