He came across sounding like a Constitutional illiterate. (wow - a Nixon crony mangling the Constitution. Quel surprise!)
Quote: “Constitutionally, gentlemen, you have the President, the Vice President and the Secretary of State in that order and should the President decide he wants to transfer the helm to the Vice President, he will do so. He has not done that. As of now, I am in control here, in the White House, pending return of the Vice President.”
He was dead wrong, of course. Next in line of succession after the VP are the Speaker of the House , then President pro tem of the Senate, then the Secretary of State.
Another quote from the day of the assassination attempt - “Perhaps realizing his mistake, Haig was annoyed minutes later when Weinberger interrupted Haig’s discussion in the Situation Room about the succession provisions of the 25th Amendment. With a slight edge in his voice, Weinberger said jokingly, ‘Al, we already heard you explain your view of the Constitution.’ Haig stopped and glared at the Defense Secretary. ‘You should check the Constitution,’ Haig replied.”
He came across sounding like a Constitutional illiterate. (wow - a Nixon crony mangling the Constitution. Quel surprise!)
Quote: “Constitutionally, gentlemen, you have the President, the Vice President and the Secretary of State in that order and should the President decide he wants to transfer the helm to the Vice President, he will do so. He has not done that. As of now, I am in control here, in the White House, pending return of the Vice President.”
He was dead wrong, of course. Next in line of succession after the VP are the Speaker of the House , then President pro tem of the Senate, then the Secretary of State.
Another quote from the day of the assassination attempt - “Perhaps realizing his mistake, Haig was annoyed minutes later when Weinberger interrupted Haig’s discussion in the Situation Room about the succession provisions of the 25th Amendment. With a slight edge in his voice, Weinberger said jokingly, ‘Al, we already heard you explain your view of the Constitution.’ Haig stopped and glared at the Defense Secretary. ‘You should check the Constitution,’ Haig replied.”