Anonymous asked in Politics & GovernmentPolitics · 1 decade ago

Can the Bush refuse to step down from being President during war-time?

It was just brought to my attention that President Bush can refuse to step down from his presidency because we are at war with Iraq. During WWII I could see this factoring in, but if it still stands, what would stop him from doing this? Please advise if this is even a true statement.

33 Answers

  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    its not that he refuses, the president cant do anything on his own. but yes, he can remain in office during times of peril. Any president can- to protect us from the uncertain "lame duck" period between presidents. Its something that congress and the senate initiate and the president agrees to.

    Trust me, Bush is not interested in being in office any more. The man is spent and exhausted.

    They were talking about it earlier, not just because of the war, but because of the faltering economy.

    Why am I getting thumbs down? For Christs sake people, go read your freaking history books.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    If I had the time to dig in and look, I am sure that there is an article where a president can postpone an election during a time of grave national crisis. But considering the Iraq war is towards the end of it's 5th year and winding down, that hardly seems likely. Especially with Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and the rest of the extreme leftist liberals who would be there to stop it.

  • 1 decade ago

    This is true. He could have have declared what is called Martial Law which gives the current President in office the right to stay in office as long as a war is going on. However if Bush was going to do that, he would have by now.

  • km&g
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    A President can only serve two terms. His second term will be up in January. I've never heard that a President doesn't have to step down if we're involved in a war.

  • 1 decade ago

    During an active war, the president can remain in office until the war is over. We are not in an active war right now.

  • 1 decade ago


    After the election and certification of those results, the next President of the United States will be sworn in on January 20, 2009

  • 1 decade ago


    This was not a factor in WWII either. Roosevelt won reelection each time. At the time there was nothing other than Washington's precedent that limited the President to two terms. Now the Constitution expressly says you can only do two terms.

    Source(s): US Constitution.
  • 1 decade ago

    He can extend his presidency for a state of emergency crisis only to my knowledge. WW2 would seem to warrant that. Even if Bush could suspend them, he would not dare, and his republican party would not let him, as they know they would not be elected again in 100 years. If it came down to it, I am positive his own secret service would forcefully eject him from the office.

    PS. I think declaring a state of emergency also needs the approval of congress, but im not sure.

  • 1 decade ago

    The statement is not true.

    During WW2 there was no term limit for Roosevelt, which is why he ran for four terms. After WW2 the constitution was amended to limit the numbers of terms for president to two.

  • paul
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    Can he; yes. Is it legal; no. What if he tried, he would be arrested by the FBI. We have never had a coup in the US and Bush is not popular enough even with the military to successfully take over the US government.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Your forgetting one very important factor.

    Bush does NOT want to be President anymore! So he will gladly step down. The country is in a mess and he doesn't have the brain power to deal with it.

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