# Presidency is offered to you. Do you take it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 18, 2017, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidency-is-offered-to-you-do-you-take-it/780169 "2017-02-18T19:35:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidency-is-offered-to-you-do-you-take-it/780169/81 "2017-03-02T20:41:41Z")
Yes. For a political junkie like me, even with all of the headaches that would go with the job, it’s an easy decision. It’s at the center of American governance and public policy, with a global reach and the chance to do good for millions, even billions of people. You can serve your country at the very top of your game. You make history the moment you take the oath. Plus, y’know, living in the White House, flying on Marine One and Air Force One, weekends at Camp David, etc. etc. etc. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidency-is-offered-to-you-do-you-take-it/780169/82 "2017-03-02T21:14:18Z")
I would have to decline. Fantasies of my actually achieving anything, or preventing anything bad, are just that. The OP says Pence isn’t interested in being President, which I interpret as him not wanting to be the real President while I am a figurehead. Trump at least has business and TV experience - I don’t have that. If Mitt Romney agrees to be my chief of staff, meaning I am his helpless puppet dancing at his command, I might consider it. I can deliver a speech and perform the make-believe parts of the Presidency. Real policy decisions or implementation? Forget it. Mr. Smith can go to Washington, but only in the imagination can he get anything done when he gets there. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidency-is-offered-to-you-do-you-take-it/780169/83 "2017-03-02T23:23:17Z")
… besides, I don’t think they’d let me do bong hits in the oval office, so fuck it. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidency-is-offered-to-you-do-you-take-it/780169/84 "2017-03-02T23:45:28Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Would you need the White House meals to be gluten-free? No. > [@](#): > > Drastically decrease the number of speeches you’d deliver? Yes. > [@](#): > > Use a teleprompter? Yes. > [@](#): > > Avoid the media? No; why would I? > [@](#): > > Sleep in to 10 AM every morning? Maybe 9:30. 🙂 > [@](#): > > Have all the furniture and drapes, decorations, replaced? Sure, the whole thing likely needs a re-vamp anyway. > [@](#): > > Want your coffee black? Splenda? Tea, with milk and a small sugar please. Or hot chocolate. > [@](#): > > Use Facebook, Twitter? That will be delegated to minions. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidency-is-offered-to-you-do-you-take-it/780169/85 "2017-03-03T00:50:06Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#): > > I’m surprised at how many people are saying they’d take the job… _reluctantly._ Yes… _if I had to._ > > I’d take the job without a second thought and be exceptionally pleased to have the opportunity. Aside from it being the honor of a lifetime to serve in such a role, it’d open doors for my children that I’ll never be able to open myself. My kid will be able to make his own way in the world when the time comes. I’d rather not have him spending his middle school years in the White House. And just in general, being President is like living in a fishbowl. I’m not keen on that, and my wife would be considerably less so. And even if I got the best advisors, which I certainly would, it’s _hard freakin’ work_. The one big personal benefit, as **LHoD** points out, is never having to worry about money again. But as it is, I’m maybe 5 years away from a pretty comfortable retirement, so even that’s not a major selling point. So on the personal side, the balance sheet is significantly tilted the wrong way. But I’d do it because it would be a hell of a lot better for the country than four years of Trump and/or Pence. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidency-is-offered-to-you-do-you-take-it/780169/86 "2017-03-03T06:05:44Z")
So, wait, is this an ornate way for Mike Pence to kill me? Meh, I guess I’ll take it. At least I can fire Sessions and Pruitt. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidency-is-offered-to-you-do-you-take-it/780169/87 "2017-03-03T06:37:36Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Bonus questions: > > 1. When finished, where would you rank, best to worst, among the 46 presidents? 59th. > [@](#): > > 1. How many seats would your party have in Congress after 2020? What Congress? They didn’t impeach GWB, therefore I conclude Congress is institutionally beyond salvaging. My term would be devoted to making the bureaucracy utterly autonomous and self-funding, abolishing popularly elected offices forever. I would be the last President of the United States under the present constitution. I’m kidding. I know that won’t work, even if I had purges that made Nixon look like a nice guy. So, you know, more realistically, um, which party is even mine? Not-a-movement-conservative isn’t exactly a party. The Democrats? I have no idea, they’re a hot mess. Oh, _of course_ I would have to lead them. Here’s a hint, guys, run as an alternative to the conservative in places you don’t already know whether you can win! The Pirate Party? I love the Pirate Party, but they have like three issues and a stupid name. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidency-is-offered-to-you-do-you-take-it/780169.md?page=4)