Can William J. Clinton run for Vice-President?
I heard a political analyst float the idea of Bill Clinton as a
Vice-presidential running mate to John Kerry.

 Another angle would be as the running mate to one Senator Hillary
Rodham Clinton (D-New York), in 2008.

Is Bill prohibited from being elected VP because of his two-terms as President?

Hi! Thanks for such an interesting question!

Before we start, please take note of the disclaimer below that the
answers here are only general information and not a substitute for
professional legal advice. Furthermore, that such a case hasn?t been
decided by the US Supreme Court so a final ruling on this matter has
not yet transpired.


Actually the idea of Bill Clinton running for Vice President
circulated even during the time when Al Gore was running for
president. Some were fancying the thought of having Bill as a running
mate. Since Bill wasn?t running for the Presidency, his two term limit
(22nd Amendment) does not apply if he seeks the Vice Presidential
office.


But is he really allowed to run as Vice President? There are different
opinions to this question but in my opinion he SHOULD NOT be allowed
to run.

The 12th amendment of the US Constitution specifically says that ??But
no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall
be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.?

?U.S. Constitution: Twelfth Amendment?
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment12/ 


Our next link subscribes to this idea to a certain extent but says
that it doesn?t prevent Bill Clinton from seeking other avenues if he
wants to pursue the Vice- Presidency.

?The 12th Amendment to the Constitution does say that no one who is
"constitutionally ineligible to the office of President" can serve as
vice president. And clearly Clinton is ineligible to be elected
president again:?

?Clinton could also run for the House and then be elected speaker,
which would put him in line for the presidency. Cabinet members are in
the line of succession as well.?

?Could Clinton Run for VP??
http://slate.msn.com/id/1005670/ 


Another opinion of course is that he can run for Vice President and
the next links here provide other takes on the interpretation of the
12th Amendment.

?The 12th Amendment would allow a Clinton vice-presidency. Its
language only bars from the vice-presidency those persons who are
"ineligible to the office" of President. Clinton is not ineligible to
the office of president, however. He is only disqualified (by the 22nd
Amendment) from being elected to that office.?

?This is no mere semantic distinction. Article II of the Constitution
carefully defines exactly who is "eligible to the Office of
President": anyone who is a natural born citizen, at least 35 years
old, and has been a U.S. resident for at least 14 years.?

?Why the Constitution permits a Gore-Clinton ticket?
http://www.cnn.com/2000/LAW/08/columns/fl.dorf.goreclinton.08.01/ 


?The answer is: He can. The 12th Amendment states that anybody who is
eligible for the presidency under Article II of the Constitution (a
natural-born citizen age 35 or older) is eligible for the vice
presidency. Clinton is a natural-born citizen over 35, so he
qualifies. The putative roadblock to a Clinton vice presidency--the
22nd Amendment--doesn't apply. This hastily worded and passed
amendment, designed to block another multi-multi-term presidency such
as FDR's, only bars the election of a president to more than two terms
in that office.?

?Vice President Bill Clinton? Take 3?
http://slate.msn.com/id/1006013/ 


References for Article II and the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution
are available below.

?U.S. Constitution: Article II?
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/article02/ 

?U.S. Constitution: Twenty-Second Amendment?
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment22/ 


The last two opinions for me are incorrect since the spirit of the
12th amendment is to disallow a former President to find another way
to get back the Presidency. That is my opinion. As for Hillary
Clinton, there are no legal impediments for her to run as Vice
President.

Wouldn?t it be nice for Bill Clinton to actually try and then for the
Supreme Court to finally settle this matter once and for all?


Search terms used:
"Bill Clinton" run "vice president"

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Easterangel-ga                 
Google Answers Researcher

Fascinating. Friendly Angel 42C, Thank you.
And the input from leoj is noteworthy.

One thing we can all agree on is that we are indeed fortunate and
blessed to live in Freedom and thus enjoy this political discourse
together.

Didn't Taft go from the Supreme Court to the Presidency?
Which brings me to my next question.

I find it interesting that the answerer says "The last two opinions
for me are incorrect since the spirit of the 12th amendment is to
disallow a former President to find another way to get back the
Presidency." since no where is any argument made to support this
claim.

In fact, the 12th amendment predates the term restriction put forth in
the 22nd amendment, so there is no way that this logic could possibly
hold.

No, the 12th amendment says that the same requirements for eligibility
to the presidency hold for the vice presidency, plus the added one
that he can't be a resident of the same state.

Thanks for the kind words, the 5 stars and for the tip! :)

Yes Taft did indeed served as President and and as Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court. But he first became the President of the United
States before becoming Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

"Taft was elected president in 1908, serving one term. Later, from
1921 until 1930, Taft served his country as chief justice of the
Supreme Court."

"America's Story"
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/reform/taft_3

Thanks again!