Matt Franck thinks Norman Ornstein is right about the problematical place of Congressional figures in the presidential line of succession. I’m inclined to agree, especially because of the appearance of the conflict of interest it raises in impeachment proceedings, if one party controls Congress and another the White House. But in general, let’s hope we’re never in a situation where we have to go past the Veep. Should that ever happen, we’re either in a grave political crisis or we’ve just suffered a catastrophic attack.
Definitely a bad idea to set up the Speaker and the Senate president pro tem as potential presidents. Whether it violates the spirit of the Constitution is more doubtful. That could probably be argued either way.
Oh, now that Pelosi’s in line, NOW it’s a problem. Please.
Were you and Peter Schramm concerned about Kenneth Blackwell in ’04 when he was both the chief elections official for Ohio and, simultaneously, a co-chair of The Committee to Re-Elect George W. Bush? Not to mention his giving no-bid contracts to Diebold for touch-screen voting machines while (surprise, surprise!) owning shares in Diebold stock. Suggestions of even the appearance of conflict of interest in those cases would just be completely out of line, right?