So, Trump has Covid-19

[Suff]

This will be filling the news for a while. It could make, or destroy, his election chances.

[Workingman]

It's all over the airwaves.'It will break his campaign' says journalist one, 'no, it will make his campaign' says journalist two. This will go on for the next ten days or more.

He will be well looked after and hopefully will pull through. Statistics are on his side, he is the eighth leader to come down with Covid and they have all recovered.

[cromwell]

Half the USA will be willing him to recover, the other half not. They are a very divided country - like us.

[Suff]

If he has an easy time and recovers quickly, then it will bolster his campaign.

If he has a really hard time then it will deep six it.

Not long to go.

[TheOstrich]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-54396670

Breaking news Friday night .... looks like a deterioration enough to cause concern.

[cromwell]

This is a bit of a poser isn't it?
What happens if Trump is too ill to campaign? Do they postpone the election? Does Mike Pence step up instead, and they carry on?
What happens if Trump actually dies a couple of weeks before the election? They would have to postpone it, surely?
Is there any legislation that covers this situation, or a precedent?
I can't think of one.

[Workingman]

What a cracking set of questions.

I think Pence (or maybe Pelosi) initially stands in till the end of the presidential term (death or debilitation) but then what? Votes have already been cast in some states and around the world and ballot access deadlines have passed in all states.

If memory serves me correctly I think it goes to the US electoral college, but after that I am nor sure. I guess it would be down to the Republicans to choose a replacement either by their National Convention (200 or so) or the full convention of 2500+ delegates, and then the US electoral college picks between Biden and the new nominee.

Whatever happens it takes time and I have no idea who would be running the US from when this term ends and the new POTUS is sworn in.

[TheOstrich]

Regarding the stand-in in the event Trump is incapacitated, it's Mike Pence, then Nancy Pelosi (which would be interesting given her politics).

With regard to the election, I think there have been cases in US local elections that a candidate who dies just before the election still technically "stands". And there has been at least one case where a dead candidate has been elected ...
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa- ... SKCN1NC1YT

[Suff]

Chain of command is President, Vice then the speaker of the house (Pelosi).

But for each change, there has to be a determination that the existing incumbent is incapable of holding the office. In reality, being bedridden is not a reason for being incapable. Being mentally incapable, such as in a coma or delirious constitutes incapable.

In reality, Regan had dementia and was incapable but the white house hid it.

In the case that Trump becomes incapable, Pense will stand up but it will be Trump's win, if he does.

A bit convoluted though.

[cromwell]

I've just watched a couple of clips of Joe Biden stumbling over his words; also apparently he said that "gun violence" was responsible for 150 million deaths in the USA since 2007. That would be half of the population of the USA!
Are Trump and Biden, two grumpy old men in their 70's, the best that the American political system can come up with?