This Amendment, ratified in 1967, was adopted in response to President Eisenhower's heart attack and the assassination of President Kennedy. There were earlier concerns when President Wilson had a very disabling stroke but stayed in power because his wife and the White House concealled the illness.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/presidents/woodrowwilson|title=Woodrow Wilson|accessdate=January 11, 2015}}</ref> Given the pressure of the [[Cold War]] to have a President always available to provide leadership, even in the event of an illness, a clear procedure was needed to define who could make decisions as Commander-in-Chief. Some argue that the amendment could be misused to authorized the president to handpick his successor by (1) obtaining the resignation of the vice-president, (2) appointing a new vice-president, and then (3) resigning. Six years later, President Nixon handpicked the future President Ford in this manner, without Ford ever being elected president. (Of course, the new Vice President was confirmed by the United States Senate.)
Conservatives criticize this amendment by arguing that it was passed to allow unelectable, but powerful, politicians like Nelson Rockefeller to become president. Indeed, President Ford picked Nelson Rockefeller as his vice president, making Rockefeller next-in-line to become president. Prior to this amendment and for most of American history, a vacancy in the office of vice-president remained unfilled until the next presidential election. (During such vacancies, a an official of the party opposing the President could take office if the President died or left office.)
==Popular culture==
Since its adoption, many fictional works have illustrated its function and short comings. Most notably, ''[[The West Wing]]'' had the President step aside when his daughter Zoe was kindnapped transferring power to the Speaker of the House who was of the opposite party.<ref>''The West Wing'', Episode 4.23: [[Twenty Five (The West Wing)|Twenty Five]]. Original airdate: May 14, 2003.</ref> The President then resumed serving in the office when his daughter is recovered.
In the televison television series ''Scandal'', the Vice President takes over following an unsuccessful assassination attempt. The President struggles to portray himself as physically recovered in order to convince the Vice President and the cabinet not to take the issue to the Senate. The Vice President ends up agreeing to hand power back to him.<ref>Scandal, Season 2, Episode 18. Original airdate: January 17, 2013,</ref>
==References==