Colin Powell as President after 9/11

[Simon]

[SNIP PHOTOGRAPH]

I'm sorry but this really needs to go in the ASB forum. The guy in that picture is clearly dead, they've just propped him up in a chair and are operating his arms like Bernie.

 

[Vice_President_Nixon]

Just a small point, and any experts on the US constitution should feel free to correct me, but I think that if Colin Powell assumes the presidency in these circumstances then he's entitled to be elected president twice, so in theory he could remain in office until January 2013.

You can be elected President twice after assuming the office if you serve 2 years or less of the term you ascended to. So anytime before January 20th, 2003 in this case means that President Powell would only be able to run in 2004.

 

[Sasalele]

Just to throw an idea into the mix, is there any chance that after assuming the Presidency he might renounce any party affiliation and sit as an independent, or even cross over to the Democrats?[/QUOTE

He could go independent claiming he's merely acting as in place of a President and not be involved in any real partisan politics. He wouldn't run for reelection, as somebody would say it was unconstitutional, or he could enact an amendment to change the election to 2002.

 

[TeaDaemon]

Just to throw an idea into the mix, is there any chance that after assuming the Presidency he might renounce any party affiliation and sit as an independent, or even cross over to the Democrats?[/QUOTE

He could go independent claiming he's merely acting as in place of a President and not be involved in any real partisan politics. He wouldn't run for reelection, as somebody would say it was unconstitutional, or he could enact an amendment to change the election to 2002.

Ok, so he's only going to be standing in one election if he does stand, whatever he decides to do.

If he were to go independent (perhaps labelled as a 'national unity' candidate or something similar?) Would he be able to put together a coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats sufficient to win an election? Might he gain funding from sources that perhaps wouldn't be interested in funding a campaign by a member of either party? Who might the two major parties put up against him?

Of course whether he has any hopes of being re-elected depend greatly on what he does in office. If he concentrates on Afghanistan instead of going to war in Iraq, I doubt he could get the job done in time for it to be over by the election (in which case there's not much point him standing as an independent, but he might stand as a Republican), but could he be making good progress?

Who would he pick as Vice President for his first term of office? (I suspect whoever it was would be tasked with dealing with domestic issues so he could get on with running the war, much the same role that Attlee performed for Churchill in WWII.) If they retained a party affiliation (with either party), would that perhaps put them in a very good position to capitalise if it looks like the war is won, or nearly so? (In the same way that Attlee and Labour did in the UK 1945 general election.)

 

[nathan2]

I'm sorry but this really needs to go in the ASB forum. The guy in that picture is clearly dead, they've just propped him up in a chair and are operating his arms like Bernie.

Here he is in two videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFT7e45POwY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K-KIp-9p6I

 

[nathan2]

After 9/11, I think Powell, invades Afghanistan and doesn't invade Iraq.
In 2003, you wouldn't have as much of that attitude that makes it so that the world hates the US. So the Dixie Chicks wouldn't get pulled from radio stations like they did. I'd also say Fox News might not be as right-wing as it is.

I think after all that Bush did, getting involved in wars, it really caused a backlash that made people more anti-war as a whole. So I don't think in 2008, that they'd be wanting change from that like they were.

I think Powell would be re-elected pretty easily in 2004, and that eventually his positions regarding abortion and welfare, he'd eventually start getting quite a bit of flak from the Republicans - kinda like Obama does today - especially in his second term. However, I do think the environment would be the one thing he'd shut up about.

After the recession, the Democrats would be elected in 2008. I think Hillary Clinton would be elected president, without foreign policy meaning as much to people in the election.

 

[nathan2]

I don't see why certain people think the Arab Spring wouldn't happen with out the Iraq war. I'm curious as to why certain people think this, as new media started the Arab Spring in Tunisia, with a young man setting himself on fire. Would people be more afraid to rebel?

 

[AdmiralMB]

To go back to the OP, I doubt in the face of a direct hit on the US Capitol Building that the surviving senators would be able to reconvene, AND have a quorum needed to elect a new senate pro tempore within the same day. Not to mention everyone would realize that at age 99, Thurmond is too old for the job. So that position would be left as is (vacant) and Powell would immediately assume the presidency. Now here's where things get interesting, Powell was in Lima, Peru that morning and didn't get back to the US for several hours, and those C-32s certainly didn't have any of the toys they do now. So you have a serious situation where your President not only is probably sworn in on foreign soil, but may be incommunicado during a time of national crisis for even just a few short hours.

 

[bookmark95]

The sad thing is that many Republican Presidents often acted in ways that were unbecoming of today's Republican Party:

Reagan was pretty moderate, shaking hands with the Soviet leader and legalizing millions of illegals in the US.

Eisenhower invested tons of money into public works and opposed the "military-industrial complex".

Lincoln gave away millions of acres of land.

Grant was pro-Civil Rights, and was the first President to get the black vote.

Gerald Ford was pro-gay rights toward the end of his life.

Nixon bused children into schools, put price and wage controls during stagflation, and sought detente with Russia and China.

George H.W. Bush passed environmental laws and Americans With Disabilities.

George Bush himself expanded Medicare and government control of education.

Sadly Powell would be held up as a great Republican, not knowing he was against much of the platform of the Republican Party.

 

[nathan2]

To go back to the OP, I doubt in the face of a direct hit on the US Capitol Building that the surviving senators would be able to reconvene, AND have a quorum needed to elect a new senate pro tempore within the same day. Not to mention everyone would realize that at age 99, Thurmond is too old for the job. So that position would be left as is (vacant) and Powell would immediately assume the presidency. Now here's where things get interesting, Powell was in Lima, Peru that morning and didn't get back to the US for several hours, and those C-32s certainly didn't have any of the toys they do now. So you have a serious situation where your President not only is probably sworn in on foreign soil, but may be incommunicado during a time of national crisis for even just a few short hours.

Thank you.

 

[nathan2]

If anyone, who would he appoint as vice president?

 

[AdmiralMB]

It would be a democrat in a show of national unity. Problem is still the Senate is out of whack, I'd be curious to see who is appointed to be interm senators.

 

[Driftless]

It would be a democrat in a show of national unity. Problem is still the Senate is out of whack, I'd be curious to see who is appointed to be interm senators.

A former president who served less than two terms? Bush Sr, Ford, or Carter? Not as much OJT required to get them back up to speed, plus world leaders might be more inclined to recognize their authority.

Also, a former president might inspire a little more confidence on the home front, in a state of extreme crisis.

 

[nathan2]

A former president who served less than two terms? Bush Sr, Ford, or Carter? Not as much OJT required to get them back up to speed, plus world leaders might be more inclined to recognize their authority.

Also, a former president might inspire a little more confidence on the home front, in a state of extreme crisis.

Ford is too old, and Republicans can't stand Carter. As for Bush Sr.? I dunno, he might be too old, too.

Heard one person suggest that Elizabeth Dole be his vice president, for if he was to run in 2000. Probably too late for that, I guess.

 

[Paul V McNutt]

The sad thing is that many Republican Presidents often acted in ways that were unbecoming of today's Republican Party:

Reagan was pretty moderate, shaking hands with the Soviet leader and legalizing millions of illegals in the US.

Eisenhower invested tons of money into public works and opposed the "military-industrial complex".

Nixon bused children into schools, put price and wage controls during stagflation, and sought detente with Russia and China.

George H.W. Bush passed environmental laws and Americans With Disabilities.

George Bush himself expanded Medicare and government control of education.

Sadly Powell would be held up as a great Republican, not knowing he was against much of the platform of the Republican Party.

Yes but abortion is a litmus tests for many Republicans. That would be President Poweell 's biggest problem getting the nomination.

 

[Paul V McNutt]

It would be a democrat in a show of national unity. Problem is still the Senate is out of whack, I'd be curious to see who is appointed to be interm senators.

Powell would have enough troubles with the Republican base to begin with.

 

[nathan2]

Would Guantanamo Bay be reopened?

 

[nathan2]

The sad thing is that many Republican Presidents often acted in ways that were unbecoming of today's Republican Party:

Reagan was pretty moderate, shaking hands with the Soviet leader and legalizing millions of illegals in the US.

Eisenhower invested tons of money into public works and opposed the "military-industrial complex".

Lincoln gave away millions of acres of land.

Grant was pro-Civil Rights, and was the first President to get the black vote.

Gerald Ford was pro-gay rights toward the end of his life.

Nixon bused children into schools, put price and wage controls during stagflation, and sought detente with Russia and China.

George H.W. Bush passed environmental laws and Americans With Disabilities.

George Bush himself expanded Medicare and government control of education.

Sadly Powell would be held up as a great Republican, not knowing he was against much of the platform of the Republican Party.

Now that I think about it, after hearing Rush Limbaugh talk about "the great Colin Powell" on the radio, it makes sense that he'd be more quiet about issues which he disagrees with his base about, and pass certain things which are more moderate for the Republican party.

http://bluenationreview.com/rush-limbaughs-lame-attack-on-john-kerry-makes-no-sense/

 

[Paul V McNutt]

Now that I think about it, after hearing Rush Limbaugh talk about "the great Colin Powell" on the radio, it makes sense that he'd be more quiet about issues which he disagrees with his base about, and pass certain things which are more moderate for the Republican party.

http://bluenationreview.com/rush-limbaughs-lame-attack-on-john-kerry-makes-no-sense/

Abortion is a litmus test for much of the Republican base.