Yeah... I am aware of the line of succession. What I'm asking is who, if anyone atm can lay claim to that #3 spot. So the #3 spot is just treated as vacant and for now we have Joe, Kamala, and then Patty Murray?
It's my fault, I phrased the question wrong... I figured ya'll would know what I meant. Ie, we don't have a Speaker... does the Constitution address this or does it just default to the Pro-Tem.?
Ya know this happened in a Tom Clancy novel lol. Jack Ryan became President. I forget what office he held going in though. I'll have to look. Edit... ok he was already Veep, but only for a few minutes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ryan_(character)#Debt_of_Honor_(1994)
Ahhh.. you may be wrong B1 You must be thinking of "Acting President" in case #1 and #2 become incapacitated. The Presidential Succession Act refers specifically to officers beyond the vice president acting as president rather than becoming president when filling a vacancy. The Cabinet has 15 members, of which the secretary of state is first in line;
I'm not wrong----Right now Blinken is 3rd in line but will become 4th in line once there is a Speaker. They become acting president, yes.---But what's the difference? They have the same powers.
Well the difference is, if I'm reading it right, if Joe and Kamala die of Kung-Flu tonight, this Patty lady takes the helm. And you're also wrong, in the incapacitation case too. Blinken would still be in charge if #1 and #2 only fell ill. The Speaker doesn't have anything to do with "acting President". That goes to the Cabinet. If I'm reading it right.