Can the vice president refuse the presidency?

[Masark]

3) The Speaker of the House becomes the new VP. See Gerald Ford.

No, it's not automatic like that.

Also, there is actually no requirement that the office of Vice President be occupied. There have been 18 periods where there has been no Vice President. Truman didn't have a VP through his entire first term (3 years, 9 months) after he took over from FDR.

[Rukentuts]

No, it's not automatic like that.

Also, there is actually no requirement that the office of Vice President be occupied. There have been 18 periods where there has been no Vice President. Truman didn't have a VP through his entire first term (3 years, 9 months) after he took over from FDR.

Because your wiki says why.

Prior to passage of the Twenty-fifth Amendment, a vacancy in the office of the Vice President could not be filled until the next election.

But yeah I guess the VP is filled by appointment, but if the P + VP were to die then the Speaker is Pres. I guess.

[Sierra85]

if the vp didn't get sweared in they are not technically pres right?

so just refuse to be sweared in, and you wont be pres

[slackjawsix]

he can resign.

presidential chain of command is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_..._of_succession

yw

as bad as it would be, i would love to see the secretary of agriculture become the president in a moments notice.

[Masark]

as bad as it would be, i would love to see the secretary of agriculture become the president in a moments notice.

Interestingly, the secretary of agriculture was the designated survivor for the 2012 state of the union address.

[Anakso]

I don't know if he can refuse it out right before becoming president, peoples answers in this thread would suggest no, but even if he does then there is no "what would happen" there is a huge long line of people to become president, America won't be left without a president because one guy changed his mind.

I can't find the video that explained it in a much more interesting way but here is a wiki page that just shows you the list of people in line:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_..._of_succession

[Mihalik]

I don't know if he can refuse it out right before becoming president, peoples answers in this thread would suggest no, but even if he does then there is no "what would happen" there is a huge long line of people to become president, America won't be left without a president because one guy changed his mind.

I can't find the video that explained it in a much more interesting way but here is a wiki page that just shows you the list of people in line:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_..._of_succession

Actually.

Sections 3 and 4 of the 25th amendment take care of this issue.

Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

This combined with Presidential Succession Act of 1947

(1) If, by reason of death, resignation, removal from office, inability, or failure to qualify, there is neither a President nor Vice President to discharge the powers and duties of the office of President, then the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall, upon his resignation as Speaker and as Representative in Congress, act as President.
(2) The same rule shall apply in the case of the death, resignation, removal from office, or inability of an individual acting as President under this subsection.
(b)
If, at the time when under subsection (a) of this section a Speaker is to begin the discharge of the powers and duties of the office of President, there is no Speaker, or the Speaker fails to qualify as Acting President, then the President pro tempore of the Senate shall, upon his resignation as President pro tempore and as Senator, act as President.
(c)
An individual acting as President under subsection (a) or subsection (b) of this section shall continue to act until the expiration of the then current Presidential term, except that -
(1) if his discharge of the powers and duties of the office is founded in whole or in part on the failure of both the President-elect and the Vice-President-elect to qualify, then he shall act only until a President or Vice President qualifies; and
(2) if his discharge of the powers and duties of the office is founded in whole or in part on the inability of the President or Vice President, then he shall act only until the removal of the disability of one of such individuals.
(d)
(1) If, by reason of death, resignation, removal from office, inability, or failure to qualify, there is no President pro tempore to act as President under subsection (b) of this section, then the officer of the United States who is highest on the following list, and who is not under disability to discharge the powers and duties of the office of President shall act as President: Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Defense, Attorney General, Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Labor, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Education, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Secretary of Homeland Security.
(2) An individual acting as President under this subsection shall continue so to do until the expiration of the then current Presidential term, but not after a qualified and prior-entitled individual is able to act, except that the removal of the disability of an individual higher on the list contained in paragraph (1) of this subsection or the ability to qualify on the part of an individual higher on such list shall not terminate his service.
(3) The taking of the oath of office by an individual specified in the list in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be held to constitute his resignation from the office by virtue of the holding of which he qualifies to act as President.
(e)
Subsections (a), (b), and (d) of this section shall apply only to such officers as are eligible to the office of President under the Constitution. Subsection (d) of this section shall apply only to officers appointed, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, prior to the time of the death, resignation, removal from office, inability, or failure to qualify, of the President pro tempore, and only to officers not under impeachment by the House of Representatives at the time the powers and duties of the office of President devolve upon them.
(f)
During the period that any individual acts as President under this section, his compensation shall be at the rate then provided by law in the case of the President.

In essence, if for whatever reason the person next in the line of succession is unable to do so or fails to qualify the position of Acting President is passed down the ladder, until someone can assume the charge. In this case all previous successors have been disqualified from performing their duties anyways. Meaning, if you pass down the Presidency willingly you also resign willingly, and the Acting President can appoint someone else temporarily to fulfill your position, pending Congressional approval or elections, which have to be held within a set period of time.