Reference no: EM133456241

In 1967, the 25th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, which provides a specific means of transfer of power when a president dies or is disable. In October of 1919, President Woodrow Wilson suffered from a stroke and was unable to perform the full duties of the office. Since succession of a president who was still alive was not addressed in the Constitution at the time, the Wilson Administration decided to down play Wilson's condition. Behind closed doors, to what extent is not fully known, Woodrow Wilson's wife, Edith Wilson served as a de-facto president of the United States. On important matters of state, she would "consult" with her bedridden husband and she would sign (forge) his name to documents to keep the nation moving forward. Although Wilson would eventually recover to finish out the last couple of months of the last year of his two terms as president, it is without a doubt, that Edith ran the nation for a time in some capacity. Wilson died in 1924 and Edith Wilson died in 1961. Like a loyal spouse, she never fully disclosed just how much influence she had on the nation during the months of Woodrow's mental disability.

Do you think that this whole situation is unethically? Do you think it was illegal? The Constitution did not have a clear answer to the notion of a living president that was unable to perform the duties of the office. The Vice- President was to take over upon the death of the president, not the disability of the president. Do you think that this secret was necessary to keep the nation stable? Do you think that the timely truth would have lead to an answer, well before 1967?

Could this kind of thing happen today in more modern times?

What do you think?