The original succession law, passed in 1792, designated only two people after the vice president: the president pro tempore of the Senate and the speaker of the House. In the Senate trial, one of Johnson’s most outspoken critics was Ben Wade, a Republican who also happened to be the president pro tempore. Whether or not Ms. Pelosi is actively thinking about her chances of ending up in the White House, the mere appearance of the conflict is bad on its own. This arrangement lasted for 60 years, until President Harry Truman pushed to restore the speaker and president pro tempore — in the reverse order from 1792 — on the grounds that they are elected directly by the people, unlike members of the cabinet. Having a leader of the opposing party take over the White House, especially in an era of intense political polarization, would not achieve that, to put it mildly.

Source: New York Times November 03, 2019 20:48 UTC