# Suppose McCain dies before the election... **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 14, 2008, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862 "2008-10-14T13:22:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hawkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@Hawkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkins)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/1 "2008-10-14T13:22:16Z")
Will the GOP keep Palin on the ticket? As Veep? As Prez? And who will they put on the ticket with her? Or will they jettison her and start over? ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/2 "2008-10-14T13:23:16Z")
I think they would resurrect Adolf Hitler and put him on the ticket. :rolleyes: /thread over ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/3 "2008-10-14T13:25:57Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > I think they would resurrect Adolf Hitler and put him on the ticket. :rolleyes: > > /thread over This isn’t a legitimate question? What if Obama dies before the election? Does that legitimize it for you? /thread on ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/4 "2008-10-14T13:29:54Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > This isn’t a legitimate question? What if Obama dies before the election? Does that legitimize it for you? > > /thread on I think either way is stupid. What if Diebold declares itself president? What if Joe Biden is a Reptilian from Planet Z? ETA: also, the Republican party may just have rules saying what happens, so the OP could go look them up. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/5 "2008-10-14T13:35:24Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > I think either way is stupid. What if Diebold declares itself president? What if Joe Biden is a Reptilian from Planet Z? > > ETA: also, the Republican party may just have rules saying what happens, so the OP could go look them up. Or he could ask the question, hoping people that would know the answer would respond. Oh, that’s right-he _did_. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@Hawkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkins)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/6 "2008-10-14T13:37:05Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > I think either way is stupid. What if Diebold declares itself president? What if Joe Biden is a Reptilian from Planet Z? > > ETA: also, the Republican party may just have rules saying what happens, so the OP could go look them up. I guess you’re right. It is stupid. Thank you for fighting my ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/7 "2008-10-14T13:38:25Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > I think either way is stupid. What if Diebold declares itself president? What if Joe Biden is a Reptilian from Planet Z? > > ETA: also, the Republican party may just have rules saying what happens, so the OP could go look them up. RR, you’ve been hanging around long enough to have absorbed some of the mission of this board. Hell, just look at the top of the page. Hawkins, it’s not a stupid question. I think it’s come up a number of times on the SDMB; here’s a recent thread on the very topic: [What would happen if McCain died before the election?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=484844&highlight=nominee+dies+election) ETA: Oops, that’s a pretty short thread. Here’s a longer one on the general topic, from a few years ago: [Nominee dies before the election.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=274657&highlight=nominee+dies+election) ---
**Author:** ![Hawkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@Hawkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkins)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/8 "2008-10-14T13:41:24Z")
Thanks for the link, **Baldwin.** I must have missed that thread. I should have done a search. I’ll have a look at this right now. Mods, feel free to close this thread. Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/9 "2008-10-14T13:41:27Z")
So they _could_ pick Palin, but they don’t have to? Would the Republicans on this board support Palin as Prez, or would you rather have someone else? If the latter, then who? ---
**Author:** ![Hawkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@Hawkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkins)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/10 "2008-10-14T13:46:29Z")
My question perhaps was not as clear as it might have been. **Baldwins’s** links explain the what, but I was hoping to get some opinions on the who. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/11 "2008-10-14T13:59:26Z")
> [@Hawkins](#): > > My question perhaps was not as clear as it might have been. > > **Baldwins’s** links explain the what, but I was hoping to get some opinions on the who. Don’t sweat Rand Rover’s causticity. It’s a worthwhile question; welcome to the Dope! My guess is that the RNC would attempt to petition Congress to push back election day. I would suspect Romney would be the new nominee, and my guess is that he would do it on the condition that he could pick a new running mate. If the Dems lost their candidate, I would assume the DNC would pluck Hillary, who would be more than glad to fill the role. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/12 "2008-10-14T14:08:40Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > My guess is that the RNC would attempt to petition Congress to push back election day. _Could_ Congress push back election day? I thought Election Day was set in the constitution. I could be wrong, though, ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/13 "2008-10-14T14:14:01Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Don’t sweat Rand Rover’s causticity. It’s a worthwhile question; welcome to the Dope! > > My guess is that the RNC would attempt to petition Congress to push back election day. I would suspect Romney would be the new nominee, and my guess is that he would do it on the condition that he could pick a new running mate. > > If the Dems lost their candidate, I would assume the DNC would pluck Hillary, who would be more than glad to fill the role. That would be my guess; Romney and Clinton. Hawkins, I don’t think guests on the board have Search ability (is that still the case?) So, we’re happy to pull up relevant threads. This board includes a lot of policy wonks and some real experts on the Constitution and Presidential history; great place for that kind of question. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/14 "2008-10-14T14:28:27Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Or he could ask the question, hoping people that would know the answer would respond. > Oh, that’s right-he _did_. You are correct, there is a forum in which he could have done that. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/15 "2008-10-14T14:39:59Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > You are correct, there is a forum in which he could have done that. And there’s a forum in which you can raise your beefs with the OP without gettin’ all rolley-eyed and thread-shitty here. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-mccain-dies-before-the-election/467862/16 "2008-10-14T14:50:22Z")
Rand Rover was out of line, but there is no need to spend another couple of dozen posts beating on that topic. We also have a Forum for expressing one’s views about another poster’s behavior. Since the (quite legitimate) question has been answered and the OP has asked that the thread be closed. I will close it rather than moving it to General Questions (where it was abetter fit–although given the heat that all political questions seem to generate these days, I can see why GD was piicked). [/Modding]