Comments on: Remember When Biden Was President?

By: Keith

Keith — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 22:55:12 +0000

Since we're talking about details here it's worth noting that Barack Obama is actually just as white as he is black, there is nothing anymore significant in and of itself to being half black than there is to being half white. His racial status is meaningless

By: Can the real first African-American president please stand up? « An Irritating Truth

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 08:12:53 +0000

[...] to the the US Constitution, (infinitely more reliable than Washington City Paper where I originally found this information), technically President Obama was not the first African [...]

By: JoeWo Joe Wosik Blog » Blog Archive » So technically is Obama the first African-American President?

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:09:22 +0000

[...] They are picking too many nits but ehh it is kind of fun to do so… Story is here [...]

By: The American Spectator : Hard Times for Our Founding Documents

The American Spectator : Hard Times for Our Founding Documents — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:00:06 +0000

[...] wisdom (who thought John Roberts was infallible, anyway?), it's worth noting that the goof happened when the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was interrupted by the (then) president-elect. Minutes [...]

By: Second Black President | Conservative Thinker

Second Black President | Conservative Thinker — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:04:58 +0000

[...] [3] Beaujon, Andrew. "Remember When Biden Was President? Washington City Paper." Washington City Paper. 20 Jan. 2009. Creative Loafing Media. 26 Jan. 2009 http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2009/01/20/remember-when-biden-was-president/. [...]

By: :U

:U — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:34:12 +0000

well I think Barack Hussein Obama isn' President because he screwwed up the oath the first time and didn't use a Bible the second.

By: Condi was the first African-American President of the United States for One Minute « Bill’s Thought Bog Blog

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 23:11:21 +0000

[...] http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2009/01/20/remember-when-biden-was-president/ [...]

By: President Joe Biden: Day 4 - January 23, 2009 « The Usurpation Chronicles

President Joe Biden: Day 4 - January 23, 2009 « The Usurpation Chronicles — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:48:30 +0000

[...] For discussion about Presidential Succession and other constitutional matters see City Desk Blogs [...]

By: The Write Side of My Brain » Blog Archive » One Brief Shining Moment

The Write Side of My Brain » Blog Archive » One Brief Shining Moment — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:34:53 +0000

[...] at The Washington City Paper Blog, Northern Kentucky University law professor Ken Katkin says that, due to the chain of events, [...]

By: Espen, Norway

Espen, Norway — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:51:17 +0000

Though I have read with excitement, I also agree to those who tell "get on with life" and so on. But as a lawyer (not American law) myself, the temptation to make a comment is too strong:

One thing I would like to point out: The meaning (or spirit if you like) of the transition at noon sharp is that there shall be no possibility what so ever for the former president to try to force himself to stay in power.

If military coup makers loyal to the former president were to try to delay the "president elect" to take the oath, the spirit of the rules is that the president elect becomes president at Jan. 20. noon. Let that be clear if nothing else is!

I think the answer is like many reasonable minds have already spoken: Obama became president, though did not have the power to act as president before he had taken the oath properly.

I had also fun (given that we were of course not into this coup making situation) about the fact that the time in these circumstances is defined by the Senate clock, and the possibility that the Senate clock might be stopped!

At the end of the day, this is not even a mouse's piss in the ocean compeered to the presidential election in 2000.

Espen, Norway

By: Skipper

Skipper — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:22:10 +0000

This is the most circle jerk attention a no-name professor at a fourth-rate law school has gotten in ages!

By: lkt

lkt — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:12:27 +0000

Prior to the inauguration, Robert Gates was named as successor, which is why he was taken to an undisclosed location. Neither Condelezza Rice nor Joe Biden was ever POTUS or acting POTUS. The Constitution clearly states that President Obama's term began at noon on 1/20. The End.

Way to give the right wingers & the nut cases (I know, they're one in the same) red meat to try to further impede on the historical election of America's first black POTUS, President Barack Hussein Obama.

But, I suppose since you only teach in Kentucky, it's understandable how you got this soo wrong.

By: another lawyer

another lawyer — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:23:29 +0000

Lou, Defense Secretary Robert Gates was taken to an undisclosed military location outside of the Washington, DC area for Inauguration Day. It's traditional for one cabinet member to be absent from these sorts of gatherings, including inaugurations and State of the Union addresses. Gates was a perfect choice because he was already a cabinet member and in the line of succession and Obama planned to keep him on. As Ken notes, a cabinet secretary's term doesn't automatically expire at noon. Ken, with all due respect, I agree with Sam. I think the better interpretation is that Obama was president at noon but couldn't execute any of the powers of the presidency until he was sworn. Barring that, is there any requirement that there always be a president? This isn't a monarchy; I don't see any reason why a short gap in the office presents a crisis. And to those of you complaining about the level of detail in this analysis, you obviously don't spend a lot of time with lawyers. Law is detail.

By: waste of time reading

waste of time reading — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:57:57 +0000

OMG people do you have to pick wholes in every single bloody thing the world has to offer nowadays.

Enjoy the day and get on with life...

Also is it necessary to have 4 eve online banners on this site? how is that related to the content of this website?

Anywho

By: Presidential Trivia | Crystal Hamster Addiction

Presidential Trivia | Crystal Hamster Addiction — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:21:45 +0000

[...] borrow from Andrew Beaujon and Ken Katkin: (1) The 20th Amendment provides that “[t]he terms of the [...]