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| | Why does the federal law say "except the President." Does the president take an oath of office? What is his oath? | | Why does the federal law say "except the President." Does the president take an oath of office? What is his oath? |
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| − | If you read Article II of the Constitution carefully in the first homework assignment, then you know that the oath of office for the president is in the Constitution itself. Article II, Section 1, clause 8, states that the president, when sworn into office (usually during his inauguration a few months after being elected), must take this oath: | + | If you read Article II of the Constitution carefully in the first homework assignment, then you know that the oath of office for the president is in the Constitution itself. Article II, Section 1, clause 8, states that the president, when sworn into office (typically during his inauguration a few months after being elected), must take this oath: |
| | {{cquote|I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.}} | | {{cquote|I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.}} |
| − | Usually it is the Chief Justice of the United States (the highest judge on the Supreme Court) who administers the oath to the president, typically in Washington, D.C. But not always. When George Washington became president for the first time in 1788, there was no Capitol yet in Washington, D.C., and there was no Supreme Court yet. So George Washington was sworn in New York City, by a state official. Calvin Coolidge became president when Warren Harding surprisingly passed away from an illness, and Coolidge was sworn in by his father, who was merely a notary public authorized to witness signatures on documents. Coolidge did not take the oath in Washington, D.C., but at his father's home in Plymouth, Vermont. | + | Usually it is the Chief Justice of the United States (the highest judge on the Supreme Court) who administers the oath to the president, typically in Washington, D.C. But not always. When George Washington became president for the first time in 1788, there was no Capitol yet in Washington, D.C., and there was no Supreme Court yet. So George Washington was sworn into the office of president in New York City, by a state official. Calvin Coolidge became president when Warren Harding surprisingly passed away from an illness, and Coolidge was sworn in by his father, who was merely a notary public authorized to witness signatures on documents. Coolidge did not take the oath of the office of president in Washington, D.C., but at his father's home in Plymouth, Vermont. |
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| | == Article II - Creating the Presidency == | | == Article II - Creating the Presidency == |
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| | Article II of the U.S. Constitution creates something that never existed before: an office of president of the United States. Previously, under the Articles of Confederation, there was no executive position of "president". Prior to the U.S. Constitution, there was only a position of president of the Congress, which was part of the legislative body and comparable to the titles of "Speaker of the House" and "Majority Leader of the Senate" today. | | Article II of the U.S. Constitution creates something that never existed before: an office of president of the United States. Previously, under the Articles of Confederation, there was no executive position of "president". Prior to the U.S. Constitution, there was only a position of president of the Congress, which was part of the legislative body and comparable to the titles of "Speaker of the House" and "Majority Leader of the Senate" today. |
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| − | Article of the Constitution changed all that, by creating a separate, independent, and powerful branch of government to be led by an elected "president". He was not to be elected by a majority vote of the people, but by an "Electoral College" that is based on the existence of the States as separate sovereign units. At several times in American history, the candidate for president who won the most votes of the people has not won the election. Most recently, in 2000, George W. Bush won the election for president even though his opponent, Al Gore, received more votes than Bush did. If the Constitution created a democracy, the candidate with the most votes would be the winner. But as we have already learned in this court, the Constitution does not create a democracy. The Constitution creates a republic. | + | Article II of the Constitution changed all that, by creating a separate, independent, and powerful branch of government to be led by an elected "president". He is not elected by a majority vote of the people, but by an "Electoral College" that is based on the existence of the States as separate sovereign units. At several times in American history, the candidate for president who won the most votes of the people has not won the election. Most recently, in 2000, Republican George W. Bush won the election for president even though his opponent, Democrat Al Gore, received more "popular votes" (votes by the people) than Bush did. If the Constitution created a democracy, the candidate with the most votes would be the winner. But as we have already learned in this course, the Constitution does not create a democracy. The Constitution creates a republic. |
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| | === The Electoral College === | | === The Electoral College === |