# The Third Term of Office for G.W. Bush

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-term-of-office-for-g-w-bush/226699>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [January 30, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-term-of-office-for-g-w-bush/226699 "2004-01-30T03:41:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-term-of-office-for-g-w-bush/226699/41 "2004-02-01T20:11:07Z")

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> [@RM Mentock](#):
>
> Well, I suppose…if Dubmo can avoid the debates, but that might look bad.

He’s going to decline to answer any and all questions because they pose a threat to National Security.

Hey, it’s worked for him so far… :rolleyes:

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**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-term-of-office-for-g-w-bush/226699/42 "2004-02-02T18:39:20Z")

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> [@Mr. Moto](#):
>
> Not if they’re still married, they won’t.
> 
> Amendment XII of the Constitution prohibits the President and Vice-President from being residents of the same state.

Not exactly. Amend. XII only says that a given state’s electors may not vote for a President and Vice-President who are both residents of that state. [Link,](http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.amendmentxii.html) or Google the Constitution. Here’s the relevant phrase:

> [@](#):
>
> The electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves…

So a married couple _could_ run as a ticket, they only couldn’t be a valid ticket in their own state. (Assuming, of course, that they live in the same state.)

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**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 2, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-term-of-office-for-g-w-bush/226699/43 "2004-02-02T19:07:54Z")

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> [@Scuba\_Ben](#):
>
> Not exactly. Amend. XII only says that a given state’s electors may not vote for a President and Vice-President who are both residents of that state. [Link,](http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.amendmentxii.html) or Google the Constitution. Here’s the relevant phrase:
> 
> So a married couple _could_ run as a ticket, they only couldn’t be a valid ticket in their own state. (Assuming, of course, that they live in the same state.)

That’s interesting!! Who needs NY, anyway… 🙂

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**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-third-term-of-office-for-g-w-bush/226699/44 "2004-02-02T20:08:17Z")

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It would seem that that would force the electors to vote for one or the other. In the last election, if Cheney hadn’t reregistered in his old home state of Wyoming, the electors in Texas might have been forced to choose between voting for Bush or voting for Cheney. If they voted for Bush, they would have had to vote for someone else for VP. Of course, they wouldn’t have voted for Lieberman.

Would that have thrown the election for VP into the House?

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