# What if Obama dies **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 6, 2008, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429 "2008-11-06T08:38:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/21 "2008-11-06T15:19:12Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > Reagan was the last President to come close to being assassinated; let’s hope it stays that way. Fortunately, white supremacists tend to be stupid. Depends on how you want to define “close” - [Dubya](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/18/AR2005051800470.html) actually may have been killed if it wasn’t for the fact that the hand grenade thrown at him had its pin stuck on the handkerchief it was wrapped up in. > [@](#): > > … landed close enough that he could have been hit with explosive fragments if it had detonated … the grenade “appears to be a live device that simply failed to function” – apparently because it was wrapped in a “dark Tartan-colored cloth handkerchief” that slowed the movement of the triggering lever, preventing detonation… a Soviet-era RGD-5 hand grenade, which contains just under four ounces of TNT, according to specifications from Soviet weapons manuals. Although the RGD-5’s effective range is about 65 feet, some fragments can travel 100 feet or more … It seems that most would-be assassins and successful ones alike have tended to be stupid. I just don’t want to rely on their stupidity. I want the Secret Service to keep it stepped up a few notches at all times and I want to be sure that Obama doesn’t pull a Benazir Bhutto. No unnecessary risks. _Please._ These are what ifs that I really do not want to have to know the answers to. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/22 "2008-11-06T15:38:18Z")
> [@nootlin](#): > > There’s no question that would happen, but chowder how would you personally feel? No fury from me. No sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I’d feel sorry for ma’am and her family, I really would, but the entire British forces on red alert would not be doing it my name or to make me feel safe. You might guess I’m no royalist. I’m no royalist either but that wouldn’t prevent me from feeling utterly fucking revengeful. My Queen, the Head of State had been assassinated by some knuckle dragging moronic twat, what am I expected to feel. This is my country and she was its ruler, nobody gets away with killing her, nobody ---
**Author:** ![nootlin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/49beb7/32.png) [@nootlin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nootlin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/23 "2008-11-06T16:02:41Z")
I uderstand what you’re saying, and I’d have much anger and feelings of hatred and vengeance toward the murderer of Obama, a self-made man and champion of all that is good. For the murderer of my so called ruler? If she was done in by a crazy, s/he’d be found and get his/her comeuppance (I can’t think of a better word right now, sorry) pretty sharpish. But if it was a plot, and the plotters found to be in foreign lands, I wouldn’t want my country going to war, to turn over every rock, to bring the killers to justice by killing the innocent and the bystanders. ---
**Author:** ![Saen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Saen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saen)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/24 "2008-11-06T16:05:28Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > One of the news organizations had an article answering this question a few days ago on their website. > > The short answer is probably Joe Biden - \*\*but what happens is that the winner’s party would get to choose a new presidential candidate who would then be the president elect. \*\* > > So the DNC would get together and choose a new president, basically. It would likely be Joe Biden - but it could be anyone, including Hillary. really? Since when do we vote for parties in this country? That sounds more like a parliamentary setup then our system. If that is the case and it were to happen I’m sure it would shock lots of people in this country. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/25 "2008-11-06T16:12:07Z")
> [@Saen](#): > > really? Since when do we vote for parties in this country? That sounds more like a parliamentary setup then our system. If that is the case and it were to happen I’m sure it would shock lots of people in this country. :dubious: The rules in this area are loose and date back to the sloppy outdated system of the electoral college. In theory most of these electors could change their votes. We did not elect a President on Tuesday, we technically elected the members of the Electoral collage. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/26 "2008-11-06T16:19:28Z")
> [@nootlin](#): > > I uderstand what you’re saying, and I’d have much anger and feelings of hatred and vengeance toward the murderer of Obama, a self-made man and champion of all that is good. For the murderer of my so called ruler? If she was done in by a crazy, s/he’d be found and get his/her comeuppance (I can’t think of a better word right now, sorry) pretty sharpish. But if it was a plot, and the plotters found to be in foreign lands, I wouldn’t want my country going to war, to turn over every rock, to bring the killers to justice by killing the innocent and the bystanders. And nor would I want innocents to be killed. BUT remember this: The Queen has been assassinated, she is an innocent. He who pays the piper calls the tune ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/27 "2008-11-06T16:24:43Z")
**What Exit?** , exactly. The electors can vote for whoever they want to but as they are generally loyal party members they would likely vote for the VP-elect as President if the DNC so endorsed. Now what they would decide to do if the DNC wanted to put someone else there - say they decided that Hillary should be President if Obama was to die before the electoral college voted, and Biden said he wanted the job anyway, that’s another circumstance. After the electoral college has voted it’s Biden I’m fairly sure. What if they are both dead before being sworn in? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/28 "2008-11-06T16:42:01Z")
[The Master Speaks.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/122/what-if-the-u-s-president-and-vice-president-elect-die-before-being-sworn-in) Humorously, he uses Reagan & Bush as examples. If the President-elect dies after the electoral college votes, the VP-elect becomes President by law. > [@Saen](#): > > really? Since when do we vote for parties in this country? That sounds more like a parliamentary setup then our system. If that is the case and it were to happen I’m sure it would shock lots of people in this country. :dubious: Eh, it’s an edge case. Hasn’t happened (well, a losing candidate died, but never the President-elect), likely never will. What would you suggest if the Pres-elect dies between the election and electoral college vote - another election? Delay the inauguration and leave the incumbent in for a while? ---
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/29 "2008-11-06T16:59:30Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > I don’t wish any harm on the man, I know next to nothing about him. > > Supposing he dies before taking office, in an accident, of natural causes or God forbid, by assassins bullet. > > Who would be the president elect?. > > Would it be McCain by virtue of him coming second in the presidential race or would it be Obamas VP elect ? Supposing an asteroid hits Earth before Obama’s inauguration, and all humanity is wiped out except cockroaches, hmmmmmmm… I guess cockroaches would rule the World. Right? Man, some of you are something else. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/30 "2008-11-06T17:17:52Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#): > > Supposing an asteroid hits Earth before Obama’s inauguration, and all humanity is wiped out except cockroaches, hmmmmmmm… I guess cockroaches would rule the World. Right? > > Man, some of you are something else. I ask a simple straight forward question and you chirp up with this nonsense. Man, _you_ are something else ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/31 "2008-11-06T17:20:51Z")
> [@nootlin](#): > > But if it was a plot, and the plotters found to be in foreign lands, I wouldn’t want my country going to war, to turn over every rock, to bring the killers to justice by killing the innocent and the bystanders. If the plotters were found to be in foreign lands then I would expect your country to lean _very_ heavily on that country to turn over the perpetrators. If it was found to be a government sponsored thing then that is an act of war and dealt with accordingly. IIRC there are some protocols in the international world that are no-noes to violate. While they do not have the force of law (doubt they are even written down but not sure) one is to not kill other heads of state. The reasoning being any state, even a small one, could probably pull off the assassination of another leader. The world would become a monster mess if diplomacy was done via assassination attempts. No ruler wants to become a target so it does not behoove them to make other leaders a target and get that whole mess started. In a pinch of course the country with the dead head-of-state could assasinate the assassins. Pretty sure this is what Israel did to the terrorists that killed their Olympic athletes. Not to mention I think Israel ran around post WWII after Nazis who escaped and kidnapped them back (or killed them…not sure). ---
**Author:** ![whorfin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/6f9a4e/32.png) [@whorfin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whorfin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/32 "2008-11-06T17:25:05Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > If the plotters were found to be in foreign lands then I would expect your country to lean _very_ heavily on that country to turn over the perpetrators. If it was found to be a government sponsored thing then that is an act of war and dealt with accordingly. I might even go further-the kind of leaning on I might have thought would go somewhat as follows: “Turn them over, or we’ll come and get them.” I can’t imagine the government considering a refusal to help pursue the perpetrators to be less than an act of war. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/33 "2008-11-06T17:28:59Z")
> [@whorfin](#): > > I might even go further-the kind of leaning on I might have thought would go somewhat as follows: > > “Turn them over, or we’ll come and get them.” I can’t imagine the government considering a refusal to help pursue the perpetrators to be less than an act of war. Well…I waffled a bit on that because while we probably would say that to Togo I seriously doubt we would say that to China. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/34 "2008-11-06T19:06:45Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#): > > Supposing an asteroid hits Earth before Obama’s inauguration, and all humanity is wiped out except cockroaches, hmmmmmmm… I guess cockroaches would rule the World. Right? They already did for eight years. 😉 Though i Know if obama were offed, some conspiracy theorists would be lookin at Hillary. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/35 "2008-11-06T19:16:47Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > And this is what I’m afraid of. > > That some bigot out there is already oiling up his rifle and having target practice The Secret Service is ready for the challenge. It’s why he made his victory speech surrounded by [10-foot high bulletproof glass barriers](http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v351/jakub4/?action=view¤t=bulletproof.jpg) and why there was a no-fly zone overhead. It’s also why there are now double the number of SS agents protecting him (30 when it used to be 12). It’s also why SS agents prepared for the event by getting on various public buildings in the area and using a laser to pretend it’s a gun to see if anyone could get a clear shot. In short, the Secret Service knows the challenge ahead of them and I think they’re up for it. It really is unfortunate most of the threats are simply because he’s black, but you just have to have confidence in the SS and their ability to do their job. ---
**Author:** ![Saen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Saen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saen)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/36 "2008-11-06T19:27:05Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Eh, it’s an edge case. Hasn’t happened (well, a losing candidate died, but never the President-elect), likely never will. What would you suggest if the Pres-elect dies between the election and electoral college vote - another election? Delay the inauguration and leave the incumbent in for a while? Treat it as if he were president. VP, then Speaker if both die as was proposed. I understand the Electoral College, and also understand it is understood while they have the power it is expected they vote the will of the people. A party choosing someone not on any ballot seems like not something many Americans would stomach. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/37 "2008-11-06T20:02:47Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Losing a president to death - no matter whether he’s liked or not - is extremely traumatic to a country, I think. Remember how we all felt after 9/11? Violated, and unsafe? That’s how we’d feel, I think, if a president was murdered. That’s not how I felt when Reagan was shot. ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429/38 "2008-11-06T20:05:11Z")
> [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](#): > > Either the DNC would direct them to cast their ballots for Biden, or to continue to vote for Obama. With Obama unable to take office, Biden would then assume the presidency. Posthumous electoral votes were disallowed by the House in 1872, when Horace Greeley died after the popular vote but before the electors cast their votes. Grant had secured an electoral majority against Greeley, so it didn’t make a difference when the electors gave their votes to several different candidates. I imagine that in the case of 2008, were Obama to die prior to the meeting of the electoral college, the eventual result would be that no presidential candidate receives a majority of electoral votes and the House ends up choosing the president. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-obama-dies/471429.md?page=1)