Books about Nixon’s final white house days are pretty scary. The guy was under incredible stress and nearly cracked. I think it was Kissinger’s book that mentioned his strange behavior. Talking to paintings of previous presidents, insisting Kissinger pray with him etc.
We all know how f’up Congress is. It could take 6 months or more to impeach a President.
What would happen if a president cracked up? Not necessarily violently. Just very bizarre and inconsistent behavior. Is there any constitutional mechanism to require doctor evaluations? Could a psychiatrist remover a sick president?
[QUOTE=25th amendment, Section 4.]
Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
[/QUOTE]
No need for impeachment. A quick cabinet meeting, and a letter to Congress. 1/2 hour.
Consider that Nixon was probably clinically mentally ill in the last months of his Presidency, and a number in his cabinet have said he was being watched closely. The “chewing the aspirin bottle open” incident is reasonably verified, and Alexander Haig had reportedly cautioned the JCOS and other high military officials to check with him should any “unusual” orders come from the Oval Office.
There is a natural reluctance for a president to step down. No matter how ill. Wilson had a stroke and his wife took on his office work. I’ve heard the same about Eisenhower after his heart attack. Roosevelt was already very sick when he ran for his last term and the public was never warned.
It seems like it would take some extraordinary behavior to remove a mentally ill or sick president.
[QUOTE=25th amendment, the rest of Section 4]
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.
[/QUOTE]
What if the President went on TV, held up The Button That Launches The Missiles (like any of us would actually know what it looks like), and started ranting about nuking the invading purple space bunnies? How drastic does the behaviour have to be, for the doctors to intervene?
Would a sudden change in behaviour be more important than what the behaviour actually is? (After all, the President could have been elected on a Nuke the Space Bunnies platform…)
Doctors have nothing to do with it. (Except as part of a Congressional deliberation described in the 25th amendment, section 4).
If a majority of his cabinet say he’s unfit, he’s unfit. If going on TV with the nuke button means a majority of his cabinet saying he is unfit, the VP takes over until Congress ultimately decides.
ETA: New procedures provide that email is a “writing.” Once President Maniac started his speech, the Iphones and Android devices could start chirping and have an email chain sent to the Speaker and the President Pro Temp. Within a minute or two, the VP could be in charge.
Loved this response. Why yes, I did laugh out loud.
Yes, but it’s the “Will Of The People”.
There would be widespread panic as members of the President’s political party went batshit nuts and supporting media reported on the Space Bunny Menace.
A majority of the cabinet and the Vice-President need to say he’s unfit. The 25th amendent doesn’t provide a process for declaring the President unfit while the Vice-Presidency is vacant.
The White House has a very large staff and Nixon could have easily gotten them to open the bottle. The image of the President twisting it with his teeth is a bit disturbing.
Loved this response. Why yes, I did laugh out loud.