Whilst listening to a radio talk show recently, someone said that the ceremonial/procedural job of announcing the name of the next president to the assembled congress falls to… The Sitting Vice President!!! BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! That, of course, means that Al Gore will have to announce that the newly-elected president is George W. Bush. Screw “humble pie.” Algore’s gonna be havin’ himself a freakin’ humble buffet!!!
Two questions:
-
Is this true?
-
If it’s true, when does this announcement actually take place? I am so skipping work that day and watching C-Span!
Assuming they get it all worked out by then, on January 6 the Congress, in joint session, will open the electoral votes and tabulate them. Again, assuming that means that Mr. Bush is elected, and there are no challenges to electors, Mr. Gore, in his role as President of the Senate, would announce the results of the election.
Don’t get too worked up about this, Rasta. I foresee a Nixon-style comeback for Big Al in about 10 years, so don’t get in trouble with your boss just so’s you can tell your grandchildren you listened to the 21st century equivalent of the Checkers speech or something.
I don’t forsee any comebacks for Gore, but I would suggest less glee on your part, rastahomie. For one thing, it would take a whole two Republican electors to derail Bush’s victory train and throw it into the House of Representatives for one more round–it wouldn’t have to be anything so dramatic as voting for Gore; protest votes for John McCain or Pat Buchanan would do it. And for another thing, Gore might decide not to show up–what are they gonna do, fire him?–which would leave Strom Thurmond counting the votes. (Or Robert Byrd–if the Senate is 50-50, the Democrats can temporarily take organizational control on the strength of Gore’s tie-breaking vote.)
Nixon did it for Kennedy and Humphrey did it for Nixon. Losing incumbant VPs, Mondale and Quail, were also called upon to announce the victory of the opposing ticket.