What if Bush's daughters were kidnapped?

[Mr Bean]

What would happen?

SMART: The President turns the issue over to Co-President Cheney and drops out of the publics eye for a few weeks

SMARTER:Same as above but instead of dropping out uses this to draw on his Fundie base and heads down south to go hold a massive prayerathon for their safty likley getting him 10-18 point sympathy jump in the apporval rating

Bloody Brilliant(jk): same as above and programs The Govenator to hunt down the folks responsible

Likley:Retreats to Camp David, Chenny takes over for him

[RedImperator]

He'd be removed from office first due to the overwhelming conflict of interest.

Who would remove him and on what legal basis?

4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

In this situation, Vice President Cheney and a majority of the Cabinet could suspend the President from his office until the crisis ended. This is assuming Bush doesn't step aside himself--section 3 of the same amendment gives the President the right to make the vice president the Acting President temporarily if he feels he is unable to perform his duties. Bush has actually done this at least once to my knowledge. Vice President Cheney was Acting President for a few hours while Bush underwent a colonoscopy.

[Admiral Valdemar]

That sort of thing happens to most nations I would think. When Blair was in surgery for his palpitations, the Deputy PM was in charge. You may not know much about Prescott, but it's scary to think he was the CinC of the UK for over a minute.

[Sharp-kun]

Assuming he doesn't step down, he would likely do some form of negociation. I doubt he would cave, but what parent wouldn't try to do something?

but it's scary to think he was the CinC of the UK for over a minute.

I think its rather cool

[CaptainChewbacca]

That sort of thing happens to most nations I would think. When Blair was in surgery for his palpitations, the Deputy PM was in charge. You may not know much about Prescott, but it's scary to think he was the CinC of the UK for over a minute.

Well, there's "watch the store while I'm in the back" which can happen if the president goes somewhere or has a heart attack, but in that case Bush actually removed himself from the office of the Presidency and Cheney took over, with full authority of the President.

[Master of Ossus]

I'm sure he'd be willing to talk, but I highly doubt that the terrorists would get their way just because they pulled shit like that. If anything, it would make the country hate them more.

[Durandal]

He'd be removed from office first due to the overwhelming conflict of interest.

Who would remove him and on what legal basis?

The Cabinet can declare the president "incapacitated," in the sense that he is unable to perform his duties, with a simple majority vote. The Vice President then becomes Acting President. Though they'd probably give Bush the chance to step aside temporarily himself without going through the process of voting him out, and I'm betting he'd take it.

[Stofsk]

Bush would pull a Kaiser Soze, nuking the city which they were being held to show the terrorist what determination really is................. well maybe not.

I am not saying this is a viable tactic or even desirable, but if the POTUS wanted to do it, could he? What does it take to launch a nuclear strike on a country?

[Gandalf]

Bush would pull a Kaiser Soze, nuking the city which they were being held to show the terrorist what determination really is................. well maybe not.

I am not saying this is a viable tactic or even desirable, but if the POTUS wanted to do it, could he? What does it take to launch a nuclear strike on a country?

I think it's just the POTUS' say so.

[Dennis Toy]

send in John McClane and its all over for them terrorists,,,

[Darth Wong]

OK, let's suppose Bush is booted out because of the conflict-of-interest. Would the administration cut his daughters loose to twist in the wind? Or would they try to negotiate?

[Bob the Gunslinger]

Kidnapped how? Kidnapped as in they were calmly escorted into a high-tech black van in broad daylight by suave international political activists with cultured British and German accents? Or Kidnapped as in yanked screaming and clawing into the night from their bedrooms leaving a trail of blood-slickened gouges in the floor and then a week later their ears arrive in the mail?

Makes a bit of a difference.


(And NO, I do not want anyone to kidnap anyone. That would be WRONG. And LAME.)

[Durandal]

OK, let's suppose Bush is booted out because of the conflict-of-interest. Would the administration cut his daughters loose to twist in the wind? Or would they try to negotiate?

They'd almost certainly negotiate, but most likely just to stall for time while they try to locate the twins and send in a team to retrieve them.

[wautd]

Bush would pull his ass out of Iraq so fast

[wautd]

Bush would pull his ass out of Iraq so fast

reply at the first question btw

Bush always striked me as a coward. Especially during 9/11

[RedImperator]

OK, let's suppose Bush is booted out because of the conflict-of-interest. Would the administration cut his daughters loose to twist in the wind? Or would they try to negotiate?

They'd stall for time by negotiating, and maybe take the time to quietly explain EXACTLY what will happen to the terrorists if they're ever caught, but this administration simply isn't going to make substantial concessions.

[UCBooties]

For the POTUS to order a nuclear strike, the only things needed are a target, an confirmation code, a keycard and a phone. The confirmation codes and keycard are kept with the President at all times in a briefcase known as "the football." The football contains a target code generator linked to the Pentagon's launch code files, the keycard is inserted to generate the proper code for the target. The President then calls the Pentagon or other command facility and relays the target and authorization code, then it's missles away.

(Note: this was the system under the Reagan administration, while I would guess the technology has been updated, I believe the types of components and principle remain the same."

[jegs2]

Would he bend his "we do not negotiate with terrorists" policy? What do you think?

PS. Poll added.

Really depends on who kidnapped them, IMO. If the kidnappers were known or suspected international terrorists, my guess is that a special operations team, the CIA, and just about every other intelligence-gathering and special direct-action force that swears loyalty to these United State would be focused on getting them free. If the kidnappers were not terrorists, then my guess is he still wouldn't negotiate but instead use Federal law enforcement to attempt to secure their release.

[tharkûn]

OK, let's suppose Bush is booted out because of the conflict-of-interest. Would the administration cut his daughters loose to twist in the wind? Or would they try to negotiate?

Again I think professionals are going to look at the odds of a successful exchange and conclude that neither side will be able to trust the other to follow through. Once somebody concludes that the most likely successful response is the forceful option, even if the administration were inclined to negotiate they aren't going to do so.

Negotiations, if they occur, are going to be stalling measures or attempts to locate the daughters, if needed.