Now, I just finished watching the first season of the show Designated Survivor on Netflix. It was meh IMO, but played with some interesting ideas and got me thinking. In the tv show, there are three people left, a cabinet member (the designated survivor) and two congressmen. Even if the designated survivor also died, the other two congressmen would just vote amongst themselves for a new Speaker who would then assume the presidency.
But what if everyone in Washington suddenly drops dead in some freaky way. Who then would assume the role of President?
Ignoring how it happens, am I correct in assuming that if both houses of Congress, the president and his cabinet and the supreme court (yes I know their not in the line of succession, just for good measure) die, the proper way for the country to go forward would be for the governors to appoint interim senators who would have an immediate vote for a new president pro tempore, who would then assume the presidency and get to work appointing a new cabinet and court while the state governments organize special congressional elections?
But what if everyone in Washington suddenly drops dead in some freaky way. Who then would assume the role of President?
Ignoring how it happens, am I correct in assuming that if both houses of Congress, the president and his cabinet and the supreme court (yes I know their not in the line of succession, just for good measure) die, the proper way for the country to go forward would be for the governors to appoint interim senators who would have an immediate vote for a new president pro tempore, who would then assume the presidency and get to work appointing a new cabinet and court while the state governments organize special congressional elections?