If both Trump and Pence got sick, would Pence step down so Trump could appoint a

[brewens]

healthy republican as VP? If that is Constitutional, they would to avoid Pelosi taking over.

[berni_mccoy]

1. The VP is an elected position. He cannot appoint one.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. He can if there's a vacancy.

In fact, the 25th Amendment requires the president to appoint a vice president if there isn't one.

[pecosbob]

4. But it also requires that both houses of Congress approve the nomination.

[brewens]

10. I suppose I could have just checked the Constitution for that, but thanks. So if

the House blocked it and they both (God Forbid ) died, Pelosi would take over?

[sfstaxprep]

11. Love The Smilie nt

[pecosbob]

12. In the old days pre-25th Amendment the office was left vacant until the next presidential election

If Dems refused to approve a nomination, IMO the Trump admin would likely seek relief from the court system, which would effectively mean the same thing...no VP until the next presidential election.

[tableturner]

17. No basis for court relief....it's in the Constitution. House has right to refuse confirmation.

What do you think would be the basis for overturning a vote by the House to not approve a VP nomination? Do you think a court could demand that they approve it? The House votes the way they want, and however the final count turns out, that's the decision....nobody else has any say.

[pecosbob]

18. I would agree, but NAL

It does seem to me that Rs get access to the courts with some pretty ludicrous reasononing. They would challenge the constitutionality of the sun rising in the morning if it suited their purpose.

[berni_mccoy]

5. Majority of the House must approve of the new appointee...

Do you think that would happen?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. Majority of the Senate, also.

Both houses have to approve. It could get interesting.

[LastDemocratInSC]

13. Spiro Agnew. Resigned for being a bag man, Nixon nominated Ford.

[wcmagumba]

6. I think an appointed VP has to be approved by both houses of congress...

that might slow down an appointee....

[LizBeth]

7. If it was a different administration, odds they would be able to not tell us who is sick?

[cate94]

9. No, I don't think so.

Both Pence and Trump are so arrogant, they’d believe it couldn’t kill them.

[SmartVoter22]

14. The probability of the virus wiping out the White House staff.

It's too bad Las Vegas is closed, I wonder what the betting odds would be on Trump dying, now that senior staffers are getting sick.
Wait... does Las Vegas even take bets on dying in office?
With the speed the viral's spread, infection and death, sometimes in a few days, change how one could place a bet?
How would they set variables on the betting? How many ambulances show up between 8am and Noon?
What would the payout be based on? Time of death? What room the death occurred in?

OK... 3:12am in the Green Room while tweeting for $7

[dmr]

19. Woke the dog up laughing!

Thank you!

[DavidDvorkin]

15. I think he'd hold on as long as he could in hopes of outliving Trump.

[dawg day]

16. I think we all underestimate the intensity of Pence's ambition

He isn't going to step aside for anyone. He knows the only way he can be president is if he's VP when Trump .... leaves early.

He's not going to let Nikki Haley have that opportunity.