Talk:Nation to Hold Special Presidential Election

Below are some annotations. This article is written in the AP "inverted pyramid" style and as a fictional news piece set within the past of The West Wing universe. I tried keeping it small, but hopefully it at least appears to be the work of a professional.--Tim Thomason 02:55, 7 June 2008 (UTC)

Annotations

 * FEBRUARY 12, 1985

During the sixth season (sorry I don't have the episode), a newspaper was shown mentioning the '84 election. This is the last real-world election before the "two-year offset" which occurred sometime before '98 (probably before '90). This is why I had to set it soon after that election. The date is Abe Lincoln's birthday, simply because I'm from the Land of Lincoln.


 * By ARNOLD WHITE
 * Associated Press Writer

Arnold White was mentioned to be an AP reporter in the fourth season episode "Swiss Diplomacy." Although he was mentioned to be a "new guy" by Bartlet, I felt it would be ironic to make him a long-term reporter.


 * WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 has been successfully amended with the passing of the Bartlet Amendment. With the amendment's passage, a special presidential election will be convened for election day, November 4th, 1986.

I checked, November 4th was the congressional election day in '86.


 * The amendment was proposed by Acting President Owen Lassiter after many months of protests following President Reagan's December 4th stroke. Given Reagan's neglect of campaigning duties in the '84 election, many consider the former Vice President's acting Presidency to have unofficially started much earlier in the last term.

Many fans, including myself, assume that Lassiter (who was a recently deceased ex-President in "The Stormy Present") was the otherwise-unnamed two-term Republican President before Bartlet. Reagan's name has been seen on a hospital in season three, so there isn't much room for Lassiter anywhere else. Making him Acting President a few years before his Presidency (1991-1999) also solves the problem of Ex-President Newman claiming to receive advice from Lassiter.

I'm assuming that Lassiter served as Reagan's Vice President in place of the real-life George H.W. Bush. Although he likely would have had to claim residency in a state other than California (like Dick Cheney did).


 * Freshman Congressman Jed Bartlet, a New Hampshire Democrat and sponsor of the amendment, was quoted as saying "If the President truly suffers from incapacity in any way, then this amendment will insure that the line of succession remains in the hands of the people."

Bartlet was a three-term Congressman prior to his governorship of New Hampshire (1991-1999). This means he had to first elected as late as 1984. In order to keep his "upward momentum" from Congressman to Governor to President intact, I kept him a freshman in 1985. I also made him the writer of the amendment to better confirm the connection to The West Wing.


 * Although special presidential elections have never been called, they existed in law from 1792 until 1947. According to the amendment, a special election shall be held for the presidency on the next federal election day following a 180 day period of acting presidency.

The first part is legally true (according to this) The second part is just there to make it a very rare occurrence.


 * Constitutional scholars for the Associated Press have concluded that following the special election, presidential terms will continue to be held every four years. This two-year offset will continue indefinitely, unless corrected by another special election or further legislation.

This is very likely what would happen (the Constitution guarantees four-year terms vs. the law providing a special election) in this odd scenario. This also explains why the elections are all two-year offset but four year terms.


 * Although over a year away, speculation has arisen regarding candidates for the 1986 election. Speaker of the House Wire Newman of South Carolina has formed an exploratory committee, as has Acting President Lassiter. Senator Roland Pierce of New Hampshire was quoted as being open to the possibility, despite earlier criticism of the amendment.

D. Wire Newman will become President (per "The Stormy Present") and will in my mind do it from 1987 to 1991. I believe Lassiter will be President afterwards, and his lack-of-running may be explained by the protests made earlier (a few years off under Newman's lame duck Presidency will change people's minds). Senator Pierce (mentioned in "An Khe" and seen in "The Supremes") is thrown in there as a reference to a senior Democratic Senator, possibly modeled after Ted Kennedy.


 * © 1985 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Ignore this, it's mine, do with it as the GFDL commands.--Tim Thomason 02:55, 7 June 2008 (UTC)