I voted yes and then would surround myself with the smartest, most experienced people I could find.
Exactly my opinion. A man’s gotta know his limitations, and that goes light-years beyond mine.
Thanks for the responses.
Bonus questions:
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When finished, where would you rank, best to worst, among the 46 presidents?
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How many seats would your party have in Congress after 2020?
Excellent! Except only adult men register. I like (some) women and children, let’s keep them healthy too.
Yes, because I’m pretty sure I’d be less likely to be disastrously bad at it than the current incumbent. Under pretty much any other circumstances than the present ones, no.
Regarding the bonus questions: 1) Probably somewhere in the same range as Carter and Ford; 2) I’d be really tempted not to tell people what my party was. (In fact, the only Cabinet appointment I’m absolutely sure I would make is Diane Ravitch for Secretary of Education, and I think she is pretty much an equal opportunity gadfly. I’m sure I can find some other equal opportunity gadflies as well.)
I don’t know. I wouldn’t want the attention. I’m not qualified, but I couldn’t be WORSE than Trump. I am articulate and intellectually curious, so just that alone is a step in the right direction.
I guess I’d do it to save us from ourselves, but reluctantly. Housing, healthcare, travel, and a nice salary don’t hurt.
My thoughts exactly. Off the top of my head I’m thinking a tribunal of Clinton, Sanders and Warren with me putting in my 2 cents only as a tie breaker if the others can’t agree. Also I would be totally open about my lack of responsibility. In my inauguration speech (which someone else would write) I would make it clear that when the phone rings at 3 AM someone else answers it.
Absolutely. Unlike Trump, I’d actually hire quality, experienced people to advise me. I imagine my veto pen would get quite a workout. I’d still probably be a terrible president, but not as shitty as Trump so far.
It would mean the end of Trump’s presidency, so absolutely. The first thing I would do is ask for the advice of President Obama and President H.W. Bush (for a patina of bipartisanship) on filling cabinet position. I would fire the current cabinet, the first seat I would fill would be attorney general and I would task him/her to launch an investigation of Russian interference in our election. Then I would have the NSA shut down the Dope before reporters made the connection between me and this Madmonk28 radical who posts here.
Never, ever ever, never never never. I’m real happy being a calculus teacher in a small Connecticut town. I’m not even sure I want the responsibility of being head of my department. Leader Of The Free World is too much work.
I’m aging quickly enough, thank you very much. No need to accelerate the process.
Nor do I have the slavering desire for power that certain recent electees have…
I’m in the Hell No! camp. For one thing, I’d have no clue how to actually do it (I know, I know … hasn’t stopped Trump). Secondly, if you removed Trump and just plopped me in his place, I’d most likely be assassinated inside of about a week and a half.
I’d like to echo those who say that hey, at least I could do better than Trump. I’d have to weigh the chance of assassination versus living comfortably for the rest of my life. How many happiness-adjusted life years could I buy with the money versus how much it may be shortened.
What happens if I decline the offer?
If my declining meant that some Democrat who might have a bit more of a clue about Presidenting would become President instead, then hell, no.
But if a Republican would become President instead, then damn straight, I’m taking it. I may not be great shakes, but I’d do far less harm to the country than the GOP would. And unlike Trump, I have a clue about just how much I don’t know. First thing I’d do, I’d call Obama and see if he wouldn’t mind spending a week or two back at the White House bringing me up to speed on what the job involved. I’d also see just how many of his people I could bring back to staff the Cabinet agencies and the White House.
I’d withdraw Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court right away, and sign an omnibus Executive Order voiding all of Trump’s EOs. I’d withdraw all of Trump’s nominations that the Senate hadn’t yet voted on, and request and accept the resignations of those the Senate had voted on, plus (needless to say) every last White House staffer that Trump had brought in.
James Comey would be the next Ambassador to Burkina-Faso. 
I’d give a speech, aimed at all the people who’ve been protesting, showing up at town hall meetings, and burning up the phone lines at the Capitol over the past several weeks, that their job was only beginning, that I could accomplish nothing without a Congress that was willing to work with me. So they needed to keep the heat on the Senate to ratify my Executive appointments so that we could have a functioning government, and be ready to similarly keep the heat on the Senate when I was ready to make judicial nominations.
And so forth. I wouldn’t have to worry about keeping busy; while I’m sure I don’t realize the full scope of the demands of the job, I have a much better concept of it than Trump does, and even I can see that I’d have a busy several months ahead before I’d get to any sort of ‘normal.’
But yeah, if the choice was me being President, or some Republican being President, I’d do it. The country would be better off for it.
I’m impressed that 40% said “no.” You guys have a lot more self-control (or less lust for power) than me.
Pass. It’s debatable whether I would be able to tolerate the fools that currently inhabit Congress without drinking.
I would make a very bad president. I think I would be a better president than Trump, because I think he is the worst thing to happen to the US in decades. If I can’t know what would happen if I said no, I would have to take it. But I would regret it for the rest of my life.
Where would I be ranked? Near the bottom. I know my limitations.
How many seats would my party have? Fewer than they started with.
I would be a well-intentioned disaster, which would be better than a self-intentioned disaster, but only just.
I guess it would be fun to break some new ground. I am a woman, an atheist, and in an interracial marriage.*
*Assuming he didn’t divorce me over this decision.
About the only thing I’d be able to guarantee as president is that the White House bowling alley would get more use than it ever had. Oh, and I’d throw out more first pitches at baseball games. Otherwise, you suckers are on your own.
Not if I know it will be offered to someone else, but, if not, then I take it and then announce that I’m too mentally ill to handle it, and, while I remain president, Pence becomes Acting President.
If that breaks the rules, then I guess I am forced to decline, and then hate myself.
Yes, Illinois presidents have a very good track record