Gates To Be Designated Successor On Inauguration Day
(AP Photo/Scott Olson)
"In order to ensure continuity of government, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has been designated by the outgoing Administration, with the concurrence of the incoming Administration, to serve as the designated successor during Inauguration Day, Tuesday, January 20th," White House press Secretary Dana Perino said.
According to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, if the president is unable to fulfill his duties, the Vice President succeeds him, followed by the Speaker of the House, the President pro tempore of the Senate (traditionally the senior member of the majority party), The Secretary of the Treasury, and then the Secretary of Defense. (The succession order continues from there – You can see the full list here.)
Perino said that Gates will be at a secure, undisclosed location on Inauguration Day, according to CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller. Most of the others on the succession list, by contrast, will be participating in the inauguration festivities.
There is a long history of keeping designated individuals away from events at which numerous high ranking officials will be present. In 2007, for example, then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was kept away from the State Of The Union so that he could take over government in case of disaster.
At that time, Knoller spoke to Dan Glickman, who was the Cabinet member kept from the proceedings at President Bill Clinton's 1997 State Of The Union address. He was then the Secretary of Agriculture.
“I was not given a briefing on what to do if something happened,” Glickman said. He did, however, have presidential-level security, for one night only.
"A government aircraft flew him to New York City – and a motorcade drove him to his daughter’s apartment in lower Manhattan," Knoller wrote. "Not only did Glickman have a sizeable Secret Service detail, he says his entourage included a military aide that he thinks was carrying what’s known as 'the football.' That’s the special briefcase carrying the codes by which the President can launch nuclear missiles."
The secrets of tennis legend 
Laugh?
Cry?
Throw up?
It boggles the mind to consider this idiot as President. Making Alberto successor further points out that Bush was a MORON. Compare that to Obama- making Gates successor in case of attack is 100% the right choice.
Once again the score:
Bush and the GOP= 0
Obama= 10^4
A series of presidential national security directives have also fostered continuity of
government planning and preparations. The current authority in this series, Presidential
Decision Directive 67 (PDD 67), was signed by President William Clinton on October 21,
1998, and relates to ensuring constitutional government, continuity of operations
planning, and continuity of government operations. Federal agencies are required to
develop Continuity of Operations Plans for Essential Operations that identify those
requirements necessary to support the primary functions of the agencies, such as
emergency communications, a chain of command, and delegation of authority. The full
text of the directive remains security classified.
There nothing secret about the constituion and the transfer of powers when a president dies. On the other hand the COGC is very secret- yes a secret government! If every one dies, it''s bad planning. Does this sound American? Does someone''s bad planning mean you can have a secret govenment you never voted for?? Yes it does and you''d better have a contingency plan for it.
This is a result of the Department of Homland Security acting on a tip by someone named Chicken Little that he expects the sky will fall on everyone tomorrow.
Attempts to locate the mysterious Mr. Little have drawn a blank, but the Department of Homeland Security has placed all personnel at NASA on HIGH ALERT, will ground all air traffic, and told astronauts in orbit on the space station to be vigilant!
SIG HEIL, YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO CAREFUL!!!, BUSH!!!
This is simply a last-resort contingency plan in the case that The President AND the first 4-5 in line are all killed or incapacitated at the same time, as a result of a major disaster at the inauguration ceremony.
The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 would do us no good if all 18 successors are out of commission at the same time because they were all in the same place at the same time, if something were to go horribly wrong.
With all the security in place, such an event is highly unlikely to happen. He''s ''qualified'' enough to be within the first 5 spots but no so important that he''d be particularly missed by not attending. It''s mostly mostly ceremonial precaution and he never actually gains control over ANYTHING, unless the unthinkable happens.
The COGC isn''t changing anything about how the Order of Presidential Succession works, except to ensure that the entire chain isn''t vulnerable at the same time. There''s nothing unconstitutional about that.
- by impeach___w January 19, 2009 3:26 PM EST
- I am not too confident. Why hasen''t he already taken control the disaster that was the W. Bush presidentcy? He is also pretty far back in line.
- Reply to this comment
See all 15 CommentsThe "Continuity of Government Commission" (COGC), Is not the same as the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.
The COGC is contray to the constitutional way to transfer power in an emergency which is the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.
The COGC is an unconstitutional method for the power hungry to sieze the reigns of government from those who were elected to do so or who are to take control per our constitution.