this post was submitted on 10 Jan 2024
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No Stupid Questions

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Imagine the following scenario: On the 9th of January 2024 in the morning we wake up to news that President of the USA Joe Biden suffered a stroke and died in White House. The administration confirms that the death was entirely natural and no third party contributed to it. Even before the news reach all TV stations another one breaks: Former president of the USA Donald Trump has suffered a cardiac arrest and died in his residence in Mar a Lago. Early reports claim that the site was secure and no malicious actor could reasonably reach Mr. Trump so the death is most likely natural.

What happens then?

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[–] [email protected] 161 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (6 children)

uhh the vice president takes over, and the parties pick new candidates.

pretty basic actually.

and realistically, they havent even officially picked candidates yet. so other than trump tornado dying not much would change.

[–] FinishingDutch 50 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

Not only that, but there’s an entire line of presidential succession. It’s part of a broader concept of ‘continuity of government’. Basically, it ensures that there’s always someone formally in charge. You could vaporize half the country including every senior official and there’d still be a legit, sworn in president in a few hours.

There’s basically contingencies upon contingencies. One interesting book on the topic is ‘Raven Rock’ by Garrett M. graff.

[–] Candelestine 34 points 11 months ago (3 children)

The plotline of the show Designated Survivor. Follows Kiefer Southerland as a Sec of HUD that has to take over following a terrorist attack. He basically carries the show, it's pretty good.

[–] Orbituary 21 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Also of Battlestar Galactica, the documentary about our past, where the secretary of education is made president, but has cancer and survives for all of the seasons.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago (3 children)
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[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago

The first couple seasons were

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[–] distantsounds 25 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Not much would change.

Don’t discount the tears of joy from billions of people across every political spectrum

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[–] nickhammes 96 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Kamala Harris becomes President, VP office is empty until she nominates a replacement and they're confirmed by a majority vote of both houses of Congress, which likely does not happen.

DNC needs to figure out how to select a new candidate, likely using a process they've created already but never tested.

RNC already had primaries scheduled, and they'll remove Trump from ballots where possible, as he'd be ineligible on account of having died, and they continue their primary process. It's probably between Haley and Desantis in the end, seeing who can pick up more Trump voters. Ramaswami probably becomes a bit more relevant, but still loses.

The media loses their minds, and the people of the Internet make so many references to Death Note.

[–] [email protected] 80 points 11 months ago (4 children)

You forgot the part where millions of people still write in Donald Trump based on the widespread conspiracy that he's still alive, and we get to figure out what happens when a state tries to elect a dead man.

[–] nickhammes 41 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I hate that you're probably right

[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago

Disagree. I fully support this conspiracy theory and I am quite certain the GOP would do it if they had the chance. It’s better than running ads for a 3rd party candidate to splitthe vote. Just get on #chan and speculate or report sightings of him.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

This happened in Missouri in 2000 for a senate seat. The governor appointed his widow to the senate seat which she lost in the special election shortly afterwards.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_United_States_Senate_election_in_Missouri#:~:text=Incumbent%20Republican%20Senator%20John%20Ashcroft,three%20weeks%20before%20election%20day.

[–] Donebrach 5 points 11 months ago

This would mean nothing because the electoral college exists. Likely all the red states would opt for the Republican candidate and blue for the Democratic candidate.

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[–] xantoxis 87 points 11 months ago (3 children)

If Biden died, his VP, Kamala Harris would become the president--the first woman president, as it happens. Everything would pretty much go on as it was.

Trump's death is entirely irrelevant to this scenario, and not useful to consider.

[–] morphballganon 58 points 11 months ago

Trump's death is entirely irrelevant to this scenario, and not useful to consider.

You're only addressing what happens with the current administration. OP's question as stated opens the door to discussion about the 2024 election, the MAGA movement, the state of fascism in the nation etc.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago

But not a bad daydream

[–] GhostTheToast 9 points 11 months ago (3 children)

Never really thought it like this before, but would the entire chain move up? Like Speaker comes VP or would Harris get to select a new VP?

[–] [email protected] 28 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Harris appoints a new VP. Majority of Congress has to approve that appointment.

Check out Article 25 of the Constitution for more details.

Ford appointed Nelson Rockefeller to be VP after Nixon's resignation.

[–] Tikiporch 18 points 11 months ago

25th amendment describes this process. Harris selects a new VP. Both houses of congress confirm by majority vote (good fucking luck).

[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)
[–] radix 86 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Kamala Harris becomes President, and the GOP implodes under the weight of a million conspiracy theories.

[–] meco03211 45 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Don't forget the infighting. I imagine it would be glorious. Like watching the inbred redneck family having an all out brawl at Walmart.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 11 months ago (2 children)

And then comes the conspiracy theories. Which will happen if either of them die any time soon anyway. Because what are the odds of old men randomly dying, right? There must be a conspiracy!

Trump having a heart attack before the election would provide enough conspiracy theories for a lifetime, and it honestly seems about as likely as him not having a heart attack.

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[–] Riccosuave 12 points 11 months ago

Hey man, don't bring Lauren Boebert's family into this!!!

[–] db2 27 points 11 months ago (1 children)

A party, untill they democratically elect the next only given sociopathic geriatric option.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago

This is pretty accurate

[–] [email protected] 24 points 11 months ago

BEER THIRTY, HONKY TONK TIME

[–] [email protected] 24 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Why? Are you thinking about doing this country a favor?

[–] morphballganon 6 points 11 months ago (2 children)

One person couldn't do both in one day

[–] Burninator05 5 points 11 months ago

You crazy MF'r! That's exactly what someone who could do both in one day would say!

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 11 months ago

A new holiday would be created and we'd party for a week straight.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 11 months ago (2 children)

We'd have a real election race that's for sure

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 11 months ago

Dancing and singing in the streets

[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Probably the parties and their donors would scramble to replace them.

Harris has a leg up as she would be promoted to President and would be the incumbent. But she might not be prepared for a primary. Probably Gavin Newsom, her and a couple people would fight over some key endorsements and donors.

Well Chris Christie and Mike Pence would probably kick themselves as they just dropped out of the race. In a lot of ways, the republican race wouldn't change much. At least Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis would still be fighting over the voters not waiting for Trump to resurrect three days later.

The really dicy shit happens if the winning candidate dies before inauguration.

[–] meco03211 9 points 11 months ago (2 children)

not waiting for Trump to resurrect three days later.

I hadn't thought of this. Now there's no question in my mind there would be those adamant this would happen. Then on the fourth day, blame the democrats somehow.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Kamala Harris becomes president and both primaries will elect someone.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

I'm not sure anyone on the dem side would primary Harris, however. If she is primaried, Gavin Newsome would probably be sworn in about this time next year.

On edit: jmho

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[–] KeepFlying 10 points 11 months ago

Them both being dead is both convenient and conveniently suspicious. Since Trump is guarded by secret service, conspiracies would arise saying they (under Bidens order, or a Harris power grab) killed him. It would be completely absurd given the circumstances and no reputable source would support it, but people would believe it anyway and Fox would push the story. Widely broadcast funerals for each of them.

Then nothing... The conspiracies would flow, but nothing much would change.

[–] Daft_ish 9 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

A sigh of relief. Coming from me. Unfortunately not much more than that.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 11 months ago

Probably tweet some condolences to Hunter, then wait for Trump to buried, to finally go pee on him.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago

Honestly, I think if Trump died instantaneous there would be a massive movement claiming that the current Administration was the cause of death and they would use the most recent judicial hearing regarding Seal Team 6 as evidence towards it. There would be no proof of anything because like you said it was a natural death but that would not be enough to prove anything and I believe there would still be riots

As for if the president dropped dead, the vice president would take over and there would likely be an investigation into an assassination attempt but I don't think anything would come out of it because like mentioned it would be a natural death.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago

Trump's dead, though, right? Yeah, I can live with that.

[–] notsorryforpartying 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Died today? The 9th was yesterday my guy, look at a calendar haha

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (6 children)

Neither have been elected yet. The Democrat and Republican parties would both nominate new candidates for president and then people would vote on them.

If you're talking about after they've been elected then the vice president takes over as president, followed by the speaker of the house if the vice president is incapacitated.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_line_of_succession#:~:text=The%20order%20of%20succession%20specifies,of%20the%20Senate%2C%20and%20then

[–] meco03211 7 points 11 months ago (3 children)

Important to note that the speaker only takes over if the president and vp died together. If the president dies, the vp takes over and picks a new vp, who would then be first in the line of succession.

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