# If the other 97 Senators elected the President . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 13, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-other-97-senators-elected-the-president/437449 "2008-02-13T16:26:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-other-97-senators-elected-the-president/437449/1 "2008-02-13T16:26:49Z")
and the only issue was “Who would you rather work with?” who would win? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-other-97-senators-elected-the-president/437449/2 "2008-02-13T16:29:23Z")
Probably Hillary. The Senate is not known for radical action, and Hillary would be the safe choice. She does have a proven track record of working with both sides. Although you never know. With Lieberman backing McCain, maybe one or two other conservative Dems could throw it his way. At any rate, I suspect Obama would be the last choice, and it would go either to Hillary or McCain. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-other-97-senators-elected-the-president/437449/3 "2008-02-13T16:40:09Z")
McCain. Hillary and Obama would split (not evenly, I suppose) the Dems, and the Pubbies would unite behind McCain. ---
**Author:** ![Renob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8c91f0/32.png) [@Renob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renob)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-other-97-senators-elected-the-president/437449/4 "2008-02-13T16:56:45Z")
[QUOTE=Kevbo] McCain. Hillary and Obama would split (not evenly, I suppose) the Dems, and the Pubbies would unite behind McCain. [/QUOTE] Having worked in the Senate, I can tell you with certainty that in a secret ballot McCain would get maybe a dozen or so votes from his fellow GOP Senators. Most either dislike him mildly or hate his guts. He’s a self-righteous grandstander who has a violent temper and doesn’t work well with others. He’s pretty thoroughly disliked among his colleagues. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-other-97-senators-elected-the-president/437449/5 "2008-02-13T17:28:58Z")
In reality, if senators elected the President, those on each side of the aisle would caucus together, then vote together for their agreed-on candidate. So, since the Dems have a (bare) majority, and they are likely to prefer Clinton, I suspect that Clinton would get the job. But this is extremely hypothetical, because this would change the whole dynamic of presidential politics. Those wishing to become president would aim to become senators as a stepping stone to the White House. In addition, elections for senators would become more like elections in a parliamentary system: people’s votes would be based (in part) on which candidate a senator would vote for a president. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-other-97-senators-elected-the-president/437449/6 "2008-02-13T17:50:49Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] In reality, if senators elected the President, those on each side of the aisle would caucus together, then vote together for their agreed-on candidate. So, since the Dems have a (bare) majority, and they are likely to prefer Clinton, I suspect that Clinton would get the job. [/QUOTE] But they need Lieberman for that majority, and he has endorsed McCain. I think he’d break rank and throw it to a tie (at best). ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-other-97-senators-elected-the-president/437449/7 "2008-02-13T17:53:25Z")
A solidly-Dem Senate would be such a nice thing to have, if only to consign Lieberman to the whiny irrelevance he so desperately deserves. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-other-97-senators-elected-the-president/437449/8 "2008-02-13T18:05:39Z")
[QUOTE=ElvisL1ves] A solidly-Dem Senate would be such a nice thing to have, if only to consign Lieberman to the whiny irrelevance he so desperately deserves. [/QUOTE] They’ll have that in January unless something really bizarre happens. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-other-97-senators-elected-the-president/437449/9 "2008-02-13T18:19:39Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] They’ll have that in January unless something really bizarre happens. [/QUOTE] Yes. Something as bizarre, as utterly unlikely, as the Patriots losing the Super Bowl. _weeps softly_ No, seriously, I’m counting not a single Democratic chicken till they’re all safely across the road. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-other-97-senators-elected-the-president/437449/10 "2008-02-13T18:35:49Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] In reality, if senators elected the President, those on each side of the aisle would caucus together, then vote together for their agreed-on candidate. So, since the Dems have a (bare) majority, and they are likely to prefer Clinton, I suspect that Clinton would get the job. But this is extremely hypothetical, because this would change the whole dynamic of presidential politics. Those wishing to become president would aim to become senators as a stepping stone to the White House. In addition, elections for senators would become more like elections in a parliamentary system: people’s votes would be based (in part) on which candidate a senator would vote for a president. [/QUOTE] I know it’s hypothetical. I raised the question because of my suspicion that the way the public perceives McCain and Clinton (the former decent and honest, the latter not) does not match how their colleagues think of them. ---
**Author:** ![Renob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8c91f0/32.png) [@Renob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renob)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-other-97-senators-elected-the-president/437449/11 "2008-02-13T18:40:32Z")
[QUOTE=sciurophobic] I know it’s hypothetical. I raised the question because of my suspicion that the way the public perceives McCain and Clinton (the former decent and honest, the latter not) does not match how their colleagues think of them. [/QUOTE] The notion of McCain as an ethical, straight-shooting, honest maverick is one of the biggest snow jobs ever foisted on the electorate. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-other-97-senators-elected-the-president/437449/12 "2008-02-13T20:42:29Z")
Renob, in a non-partisan election (without party preferences or caucus), who would be the favorite “son” candidate from the Senate. And don’t restrict it to just the three current Senators running. Is there someone else out there that is known as just a swell guy/gal?