jharp:
No link to utube here either. From “The Constitution of the United States” Article I, section 3, paragraphs 4 and 5″
“The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they are equally divided.
The Senate shall chuse their other officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.”
The constitution agrees with Palin, but what would the Contitution know? Of course nowdays, most of the wheelin’ and dealin’ takes place behind closed doors and is organized by the Majority Leader, the VP lets the President pro temp. run the Senate, in his (or her) absence, unless there is a need for a tie breaker. You can spot the President Pro temp. on CSPAN, he’s the guy behind the huge podium at the front of the Senate Chamber. When you hear the Senators speak, and they say “Mr. President” they are talking to that Guy at the huge podium, they need his permission to talk.
Of course, when the President makes a speech to a joint session of Congress, you won’t see the President Pro temp., the actual President of the Senate will be there, behind the president along with the head honcho of the other half of Congress – the Speaker of the House. Right now the actual President of the Senate is a fellow named Joe Biden.
