Who presided in 1965 (the last time there was no VP on the day)?
Anyway, it looks like McTurtle is trying to avoid any contretemps. And Trump cannot fire him.
If Pence doesn’t show up, that’s the height of pettiness since it was Biden himself who did the honor for Pence and Trump four years ago.
So, are we expecting Pence to seriously and deeply contemplate filtering the results, like some kind of Pence-sieve?
I think his intention always was to retire after this and become a highly-paid member of a few corporate boards
OR it could be that Pence will delight in announcing President Biden after dealing with Trump for 4 years. He’s been the more silent partner instead of, say, Mitch McConnell.
Because this has been bugging me and I have nothing but time on my hands these days I did some more digging and was able to confirm that you’re all correct.
According to this document, the President Pro Tempore has presided over the joint session at least twice: In 1969, VP Hubert H. Humphrey (who had lost the 1968 election) declined to preside over the joint session to count the electoral votes. And in 1965, the VP was vacant because LBJ had ascended to the Presidency upon JFK’s death (and there was no process for replacing a vacancy in the Vice Presidency at time). In both instances the PPT presided over the session.
Thanks, all!
I think it’s finally time to give up the fantasy that the rest of the GOP will rejoice at the final demise of Trump like the Winkie guards when the Wicked Witch melted.
This is the guy who kicked God to the curb in favor of Trump.
As anyone in middle management knows, sometimes you go along to get along even if you don’t want to. As opposed to McConnell who wants to be a bigger Harry Reid than Harry Reid was and delights in screwing over the Dems.
I can see the reluctance written all over his face.
He’ll go back to radio and television. He had some success as a conservative radio and television personality in Indiana before entering Congress, and he’ll do the same again, except with a national show rather than a local show.
He will probably be something of a kingmaker, at least on the local level. His amazing, total lack of charisma will prevent him from having much of an impact on the national level.
Nah, he’ll be there. And not only that, the whole process, including the inauguration and all that it entails, will be handled in the usual manner.
Sadly, all this talk about Pence being a vanilla nonentity is going to reverse in a moment after his existential opposite, Kamala Harris, becomes vice-president. As a combination of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, she doubles the targets for pure hate that will be spewed by the right every second of the next four years. Moreover, she’ll be given real jobs with headline potential so she won’t fade into the background like Pence.
We’ll be able to forecast the way the Republican party will evolve just by watching how Harris gets treated, what she gets derided for, which outlets rise on the basis of their vitriol, and whether prominent Republicans join in or leave the worst underground.
Want to know who’ll be the next Republican candidate? Watch what sticks to Harris.
You think Trump is attending Biden’s inauguration?
Really? Here’s a picture of Grover Cleveland holding an umbrella over Harrison at his inauguration.
I wasn’t really thinking about that, but I think Trump will be up on the podium with Biden, since you asked.
And he’ll get slammed hard by the wingnutsphere and by Don Sr. and Jr. for conducting the job in the appropriate manner.
No-one wants to dip their face in that.
The wingnutsphere, no doubt. And I certainly would not put it past either Trump. I’m just trying to imagine Trump Sr coming out so directly against his own veep. I’m not sure if this is a long or short limb I’m going to go out on, but I don’t think Trump will do it.
Is he the real president or the acting president? Can he BE president more than twice if he is not elected more than twice? *ducks
I’d trust Mike Pence before I’d trust Chuck Grassley. Grassley probably can’t even read.