A Romney-Biden Administration? It Could Happen

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SlyPokerDog

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It's sounds crazy. It would be crazy. But it is possible that this election could result in a President Romney and a Vice President Biden.

Let me explain.

If there is a tie in the electoral college (and, as I explain below, there could be), it will be up to the newly elected House of Representatives to elect a President and the newly elected Senate to elect the Vice President.

The rules are all outlined in the 12 th Amendment to Constitution. Here's how it would work:

1) In the House vote for President, each state delegation gets a single vote. So California, with 53 Representatives (majority of them Democrats), would likely cast its single vote for Obama. South Dakota with just one Representative (Republican), would get equal weight and likely cast its vote for Romney, and so on.

All told, in the current House, Republicans have majority control of 33 state delegations; Democrats control 14 and 3 are evenly divided. Even if the Democrats win control of the House, the Republicans would almost certainly still control a majority of the state delegations. Bottom line: Romney wins.

2) In the Senate vote for Vice President, each Senator gets a single vote. If Democrats keep control of the Senate, Biden would likely win (unless somebody crosses party lines).

If the new Senate is divided 50-50 (a plausible outcome), the sitting Vice President would cast the tie-breaking vote. That sitting vice President: Joe Biden. Yes, Joe Biden would be the deciding vote in re-electing Vice President Joe Biden. Bottom line: If Democrats keep control of the Senate, Biden likely wins.

Voila! You have a Romney-Biden Administration, the greatest political odd couple since the Adams-Jefferson Administration (now those two had real political differences).

Is this all just crazy talk? No.

There are a number of plausible scenarios which could result in a 269-269 electoral tie.

Here's just one: Obama wins OH, WI, NH. Romney wins FL, VA, NC, IA, CO, NV (and all other states go as expected).

Result: a 269-269 tie.

http://news.yahoo.com/romney-biden-administration-could-happen-223736689--abc-news-politics.html
 
I'm not sure the senate would elect Biden. They can elect anyone they want.

Given that, would they want to set a precedent of dividing the presidency and vice presidency like this? At some point in the future the roles might be reversed (democrat house chooses president).

Would Biden want to serve as Romney's VP? Would any Democrat? (I think some Democrat would). The main advantage is being the tie breaker in Senate votes, which is probably enough incentive to install a Democrat. Romney would simply freeze out the VP though, relegating him to doing little more than attending funerals and that sort of thing. It might also be the end of this Democrat's career, as he'll be able to claim he served as VP in name only.

Biden wouldn't be the VP at that point. And I'm not sure Biden could cast the deciding vote if there were a 50-50 vote - it's be a serious conflict of interest.
 
I'm not sure the senate would elect Biden. They can elect anyone they want.

Given that, would they want to set a precedent of dividing the presidency and vice presidency like this? At some point in the future the roles might be reversed (democrat house chooses president).

Would Biden want to serve as Romney's VP? Would any Democrat? (I think some Democrat would). The main advantage is being the tie breaker in Senate votes, which is probably enough incentive to install a Democrat. Romney would simply freeze out the VP though, relegating him to doing little more than attending funerals and that sort of thing. It might also be the end of this Democrat's career, as he'll be able to claim he served as VP in name only.

Biden wouldn't be the VP at that point. And I'm not sure Biden could cast the deciding vote if there were a 50-50 vote - it's be a serious conflict of interest.

hehe like the republicans reciprocate when roles are reversed!
 
The dems would most likely select one of the following

Joe Biden
Hillary Clinton
John Kerry
or
Bill Clinton (if that's legal) He can't serve another term as Pres, but I know that most Dems would love him as vice and even a lot of Repubs would be good with it.
 
It's actually happened once. 1824.
 
The dems would most likely select one of the following

Joe Biden
Hillary Clinton
John Kerry
or
Bill Clinton (if that's legal) He can't serve another term as Pres, but I know that most Dems would love him as vice and even a lot of Repubs would be good with it.

This could be talking out of my hindquarters, but I don't think Bill Clinton can even be a VP due to succession rules and the 12th amendment
 
This could be talking out of my hindquarters, but I don't think Bill Clinton can even be a VP due to succession rules.

I think it's debatable that he could serve as VP.

EDIT: The 22nd amendment says he can't be ELECTED PRESIDENT again.
 

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