If the President and Vice President died (lets say hypothetically in a plane crash)

[Nottingham89]

Who would take there place in the US Government?

[DTCwordfan]

The Speaker and in the case of their death the Chief Justice.

They came close with the murder of Lincoln and attempts on the other senior members, in part courtesy of Cherie Blair's relative....

[Lie-in King]

Speaker of the House of Representatives

[Lie-in King]

http://en.wikipedia.o..._to_the_US_presidency

[Bobbisox]

I watched this last night
The Day the World Changed
and this explained what would have happened in such extreme circumstances

[jno]

the list is here

http://en.wikipedia.o...al_line_of_succession

The chief justice isn't on it; the executive and the judiciary shouldn't mix.

[DTCwordfan]

apologies on that - hadnt realised that they had changed the law from the Constitution creation.....

[Nottingham89]

Thanks for the answers everyone, I have always wondered! Bobbisox I am watching that show now, just started! looks interesting.

[Bobbisox]

it is Nottingham, you will see in this GW Bush himself was a pilot, which I never knew

[DTCwordfan]

If you are interested in US history, I can commend Tom Hank's programme series on John Adams, the adaptation of the Dan McCullough history. Originally on HBO

[The Builder]

I think I'm right in saying, Notters, that the President and the VP are never allowed to fly on the same plane, for that reason.

[Bobbisox]

very similar to our own Royals builder

[DTCwordfan]

absolutely - and why the VP bunkers away when the Pres is travelling......

[DTCwordfan]

They came very close to nailing the top 3 with Lincoln.

Theassassination was planned and carried out by Cherie's relative (seriously),actor, John Wilkes Booth, as part of a conspiracy to rally the remaining Confederate troops to continue fighting.

Booth plotted with Lewis Powell and George Atzerodt to kill Secretary of State William H. Seward and Vice President Andrew Johnson. By taking out the top three in the line of succession, Booth hoped to throw the Union government into disarray.

Lincoln was shot while watching the play Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Mary Todd. . The rest of the plot failed. Powell only managed to wound Seward (seriously as he had had designs on becoming Pres himself, while Atzerodt, Johnson's would-be assassin, lost his nerve and fled.

Mary Todd Lincoln was aked "Never mind the incident, Mrs Lincoln, how did you find the play?"

[The Builder]

I think a similar thing happened in "The West Wing". John Goodman (Speaker) took over. It's enshrined in American culture that anyone should be able to make it to President ............ even Fred Flintstone ;o)

[DTCwordfan]

Did he (Pres Flintstone) come out with Yabba Dabba Doo when having a little like relief from Betty then, Builder?

[DTCwordfan]

sorry, light

[AB Editor]

Long running joke of The West Wing is that the Secretary for Agriculture is 18th in line for the presidency should the rest before him become deceased.

[The Builder]

............ now that would have made the papers DT. Betty was Barney's wife......... Wilma was the First Lady.......... mind you, on the other hand ............ as it were ;o)

[DTCwordfan]

and Dino was the Presidential Portugese Watersaur.....

[The Builder]

Blimey Ed ........ Secretary of State for Agriculture?
That's Dolly Parton isn't it?