This hadn’t occurred to me, but now that MS NOW mentions it, it’s completely hilarious. There was a TV show called Designated Survivor but it was dramatic fare and certainly not meant as satire. But any consideration of one of the Trump cabinet members suddenly becoming president in the event of a political holocaust needs must play out as black comedy. Maddow first does a riff on the Secretary of Labor and then her husband and their “hot mess.”
The riff on Lutnick got cut off but he’s got problems now that it’s been revealed that Lutnick took his kids and nannies to Epstein’s island. And no I don’t know if Epstein tried to traffic the nannies. I’m sure some independent journalist will ask that very question if it hasn’t been asked already.
But what about the rest? Trump has to pick a name. So who will he leave behind to run the show in his absence? Linda McMahon? The WWE wrestling lady is ludicrously miscast as Secretary of Education but as President? OMFG.
Or maybe RFK, Jr.? Mr. Brainworm himself could be in Uncle Jack’s office. Maybe he’ll bring a dead bear with him. Or Tulsi Gabbard? Now Putin would love that. As a matter of fact, I hope that if Vladimir has suggested that to Trump that Trump has enough street smarts to realize that Vladimir intends to blow up the Capitol with him in it.
You see where this is going? Let’s try another. How about John Ratcliffe? Again, he’s like McMahon, incredibly over his head at the CIA but as President? What about Kelly Loeffler? Actually, she would bring much the same to the office as Trump. She was born rich and that’s what she knows. How to be rich.
Finally, what about Susie Wiles? She qualifies as part of Trump’s cabinet and in all truth, she may be as qualified to be president. Or, Marco Rubio could have his dream come true, albeit at a bit of a price, a president without a congress.
What say you? Which Trump cabinet member do you want to see rise from the ashes of the Capitol and take over? Sean Duffy? Pete Hegseth?
It seems to me the only ones (marginally) qualified to take over would be Rubio or Wiles. As SecState Rubio would need to be seen in the chamber – it’s a worldwide audience that tunes into these things. A Chief of Staff? Someone correct me if I’m wrong but they usually don’t attend.
However, best qualified or even qualified to take over has never been much of a consideration for any President. The task of sitting in the WH always falls on someone few Americans would know much about. It’s always a minor agency/department cabinet member that gets picked. I see Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum as a candidate. He would be the first holding that job to get picked. That cabinet member has almost always been the most sued person in any administration so at least he’s got that. This administration is drowning in lawsuits!
You already mentioned Loeffler, Head of the SBA. Again, a relatively minor agency. Her primary qualification is being rich. Yes, she’s blonde but she’s also kind of tall so Trump doesn’t want to be standing anywhere near her! Prior to Pete Buttigieg Transportation Secretary was a relatively minor role and therefore a candidate for designated survivor. However Trump will probably want Sean Duffy there to point to when he talks about NASA and going to the moon which he really, REALLY wants to happen while he’s still in office. So much so NASA has been pressured to take risks like it did back when setting aside safety warnings from engineers led to the Challenger disaster. Don’t be surprised to see the astronauts on the next Artimas mission killed in an explosion or stranded in space to die when their life support runs out. But the point is Trump will want Duffy there.
I say it boils down to Burgum or Loeffler. The latter will draw the short straw because well, she’s a woman. And if even politely she brushed off Trump’s attempts to feel her up he has never had a chance I’m sure to f**k her and never will. If I had to bet it will be Loeffler who might be glad not to have to sit through what is going to be another long, rambling speech.
Imagine a world where Loeffler is president. Deer Gawd. Talk about the Outer Limits of the Twilight Zone.
No, the only AUTHORIZED people who can be the “survivor” ( though the proper term is “designated successor”) are those CURRENTLY in the OFFICIAL line of succession. So no to Wiles, no to Gabbard.
Go look up “designated survivor.” It exists.
while joseph is correct if anyone can get around it it’s trump and it would be one of his spawn and here’s why (i’ve been waiting for an approoriate article for this comnent). i call my theory the bribe deficeit and everyone mentioned suffers from it particularly jd. he expects to be elevated at which point he will finally get a piece of the action. the problem is that everyone who has paid a bribe to trump isn’t going to want to pay someone new. trump will assuredly leave his bribe takings to his kids and jr, eric, son in law jared and daughter in law lara (who has been given jobs) have all made money off their association with trump. in other words they’ve gotten some and will inherit the rest in due course. no need for oligsrchs to start from scratch. so the business people who are reaping the rewards of their bribery will want to continue witjout dtarting over. just a theory.
That’s the trouble with Kakistocracy.
The only people available are kakistocrats.
kakistocracy
/kakɪˈstɒkrəsi/
noun: kakistocracy
government by the least suitable or competent citizens of a state.
“the danger is that this will reduce us to kakistocracy”
a state or society governed by its least suitable or competent citizens.
plural noun: kakistocracies
“the modern regime is at once a plutocracy and a kakistocracy”