Most thinking Americans would probably agree that the mere notion of a former POTUS who happens to be the spouse of a major party’s front runner, or that the daughter of another major party’s presumptive nominee, if either is chosen as the respective candidates’ Vice Presidential choice is fantasy at best, pure desperation at worse. Then again, most thinking Americans would probably agree that this particular presidential election is one of the more bizarre in the history of the republic.
As noted by reporter Alex Pfeiffer of the right-of-center the Daily Caller news portal on May 25, 2016, the ex-FLOTUS and current Democratic Party leader of the pack for president Hillary Clinton recently appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. During the course of the slow pitch softball-esque interview, Barack Obama’s former Secretary of State showed her political chops when she deftly ducked, dodged, dipped, and dove from Ellen’s painfully simple question if she would choose Bubba as her running mate.
“Well, if you’ve served two terms, it would be hard to do. If you’ve only served one term, I think technically you might be able to, ’cause he served two terms,” Clinton said. “So he can’t be your vice president?” DeGeneres shot back. “No,” Mrs. Clinton flatly answered.
As for the GOP side of the equation, Adam Campbell of LibertyNewsNow.com noted on Jan. 19, 2016, that The Donald has dropped a few well timed hints that he just may choose his eldest daughter for the second half of the Republican ticket. In December of 2015, Trump joked about naming his daughter for the slot saying, “I’m thinking about making Ivanka Vice President.” But then he quickly added, “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”
Well, maybe he really not kidding. Again in 2015, Trump made clear he’d be willing to run with a female VP stating, “Having a woman as a running mate is certainly a consideration. A very good consideration. It would be something I would strongly consider.”
Now getting down to the heart of the matter; despite an occasional but still tantalizing article teasing political junkies that the comely Ivanka or the ageing Bill might be called upon, without fail a number of wet blankets jump into the conversation citing the alleged reason why the two are ineligible. Pertaining to the Trumps and Clintons alike, what’s cited most would be Article II of the Constitution when referencing the ballots cast for President and Vice President in the Electoral College, “The electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves.”
By chance, all four individuals in question just happen to be residents of the Empire State. So at first glance, both Ivanka and Bill would seem ineligible for Veep. Not really. Nevada’s notoriously lax residency laws would be an easy fix. According to an official State of Nevada website, attaining legal domicile in the Silver State requires a mere 30 days of residency. Conceivably, the Trumps and Clintons would easily rent out a Reno or Vegas suite 30 days before the convening of the Electoral College.
Next would be the question of Ivanka’s age. She won’t turn 35 until next October 30th. As every 8th Grader should know, Representatives must be at least 25-years-old, Senators 30, and Presidents 35. Curiously, there is no specific age given for Vice Presidents. All that aside, despite those that say she can’t even run for Veep due to being 34, she’d be of the minimally acceptable age before Inauguration Day.
Lastly would come the But-Bill-Already-Served-Two-Terms conundrum. The Twenty-second Amendment, better known as the “Term Limits Amendment,” does clearly state “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.”
Constitutionally, there’s nothing keeping Bill Clinton from holding the office of Vice President for the rest of his natural life. There simply isn’t any Constitutional provision that would prevent Vice President Bill Clinton from completing the term of the sitting President if that same sitting President was incapable of completing the same. Of course, it’s understood that Bill could never be run for and be elected President ever again.
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