I was getting out of my chair to head towards bed when they called a late breaking story. "We are now getting a report – this is unconfirmed but from a reliable source – a report that tomorrow the Congressional leadership will report to the Cabinet that President Bush is to be considered missing in action and presumed dead, and that they are recommending that Acting President Buckman be sworn in as President!" I stopped at that and listened. The report was about 90% accurate, and it was obvious that one of the Congressional leaders was leaking the story. After that I headed to bed.
Friday morning found me back in the Cabinet Room at 9:00. This time we had Tommy Thompson and Ann Veneman with us in person, and I made sure to thank them for getting back to town. Dick Cheney was present and looking mulish as ever, but I had talked to Frank Stouffer and he had confirmed that President Bush had talked to Cheney before heading to Camp David. Hopefully he wouldn't be an asshole today. Also seated in the room were Denny Hastert and Tom Daschle. By now all the networks were reporting that there was going to be a major decision in the Cabinet today related to the 25th Amendment.
We started with my greeting our guests from Congress. "Speaker Hastert, Senate Majority Leader Daschle, thank you for coming. When we talked yesterday you were getting in touch with the rest of the Congressional leadership. Have you done so?", I asked.
I wasn't sure if they had rehearsed this or not, but Denny Hastert replied, "Yes, Mister President, we have. We talked to both John Boehner and Harry Reid yesterday and have concluded that President Bush is missing and should be presumed dead. We are here to recommend to the Cabinet that they vote to make you the President."
There were some murmurs at that, and Cheney turned red and looked like he would explode, but he kept his mouth shut. With his heart problems he was about one outburst away from a heart attack!
The Attorney General spoke up. "Mister President, I have been in contact with Chief Justice Rehnquist about this, and I would like to bring him in at this time."
"He's here?"
"Yes, sir, along with some of the other Congressional leaders. I think we should have everyone in."
I blinked for a second, but nodded. "They're here too? Fine by me."
Ashcroft turned to a Secret Service agent and motioned him over, and then spoke quietly to him. He left and a couple of minutes later the rest of the Congressional leadership trooped in, less Harry and John, along with Bill Rehnquist. I stood and greeted them. I had known the Congressmen and Senators for years, but I don't think I had met the Chief Justice more than a handful of times. "Mister Chief Justice, I am glad you could make it. I gather the Attorney General has been keeping you abreast of what has been going on."
"Mister President, thank you. Yes, I have talked to the Attorney General several times over the last few days. He was concerned over any possible misinterpretation of the 25th Amendment. We really don't have a precedent for this, as I am sure he told you.", answered Rehnquist.
He took a seat near me, in effect my old seat as the Vice President. I sighed and nodded. "Yes, sir, he did. I told him that we were making it up as we go. Hopefully you can sit here and tell us what we are doing is legal. I'd really prefer not going to jail."
There were several chuckles at this, but not many, until the Chief Justice smiled and answered, "You can always write yourself a pardon, sir." I smiled at that, too, and he continued, "Seriously, though, what you are doing is going above and beyond my reading of the Amendment. On the other hand, the political reality is such that going above and beyond may be what is best for our nation right now. With that being said, I would suggest we turn the meeting over to Attorney General Ashcroft, much as I understand you did Tuesday afternoon."
"Of course, sir." I turned towards the Attorney General and said, "You're on!"
John Ashcroft stood up and said, "Well, it is my intention to repeat the process we had on Tuesday. I am going to go down the list of all the Cabinet members and ask 'Yes' or 'No.' A Yes vote means that Carl Buckman is the President and a No means he stays as Acting President." He grabbed his pen and a note pad and asked, "Secretary of State, yes or no?"
Dick Cheney turned beet red again, and he growled as he answered, but he said 'Yes.' I could see the looks and sighs of relief around the room. Ashcroft ignored the histrionics and continued down the list. It was unanimous. At that he turned to the Speaker of the House and said, "I've been talking to the Chief Justice as well. It's not in the 25th Amendment, and it is not required, but we both think it would help immensely if I asked you gentlemen the same thing. Mister Speaker, yes or no?"
We had the Speaker of the House, along with the Majority and Minority Leaders and Whips of both the House and Senate in the room, all except John and Harry, who were flying home. He went down the list and it was unanimous. Denny added at the end that both John Boehner and Harry Reid had told him they were voting Yes as well.
"How do you want to do this, Mister President?", asked the Chief Justice.
Denny Hastert interrupted and said, "Excuse me, Mister President, but is it still your desire to do this on television tonight, like we talked about yesterday?"
I nodded. "Like I said, I know it's not an inauguration but I think the country is going to want to see this. It's up to you fellows, though. The Capitol is your building."
"Well, we'll do it like a State of the Union Address. We'll have everyone there, let John here run the thing, swear you in, and you make a quick speech. Who is going to be the missing man?"
"That will be me!", growled Cheney forcefully. At all State of the Union speeches there is always a 'missing man', a member of the Cabinet who can become the President if somebody manages to nuke the Capitol. "I'll be damned if I want to watch this crap!"
Denny Hastert wasn't going to be put off by Cheney. "Fine by me, but if you're not going to be there, you'll write out your acceptance right here and now. John, give him a sheet of paper!"
Cheney's nostrils flared at that, but he was under the stare of everybody. Ashcroft silently pushed a sheet of stationery across to him. Cheney scrawled something on it and then stood up and stormed out of the room. It was rude as hell, but I wasn't going to make an issue of it and I was glad to see his back. One of my first jobs would be to replace Cheney.
Denny took the paper and folded it up and stuck it in a jacket pocket. "Okay, I will see you all this evening at eight o'clock. Mister President, get Ari Fleischer to get the wheels in motion. Otherwise, we are going to get out of here and let you get to work."
"I agree." I stood up. "Everybody, I will see you all this evening. Thank you."
Getting back to work involved getting Ari Fleisher to crank up the system for this evening, calling Marilyn and informing her of what was going to happen, and calling Camp David and talking to the first President Bush.
That was an instructive call. He told me that Harry Reid and John Boehner had called him last night after talking to the Congressional leadership, so that he wasn't blindsided when the inevitable reports came out. The President offered to come to Washington for the ceremony, but that for Barbara, Laura, and the girls, it would be too much, too soon. I promised that I wouldn't move into the Executive Mansion until they were ready and had moved out. Dignity of the office or not, that would be more than a little tacky! He promised to sit down with me and talk, commenting that he had done the same with Bill Clinton and George W. Then he asked an interesting question. "Have you talked to your son yet? Where is he stationed?"