What a ‘designated survivor’ does during the State of the Union
SUMMARY
With President Donald Trump's first official State of the Union address on Jan. 30, the White House's security apparatus is making preparations for a grim worse-case scenario.
If there was a targeted attack on the Capitol, someone would have to take over the government.
Excluding the years immediately after a new president is elected, one member of the president's Cabinet has been selected every year since the 1960s to be the "designated survivor."
They sit out the State of the Union far away from the House chamber, so that in case there is a catastrophe, a Senate-confirmed official could take the reigns of the presidency. Since 2005, a designated survivor from Congress has also been selected in order to rebuild the legislative branch.
Also Read: A World Trade Center survivor left an amazing goodbye to his family
This year's designated survivor has not been announced yet. Although highly unlikely, this doomsday scenario has captured the imaginations of screen writers and TV producers, spawning a an entire show on ABC called simply "Designated Survivor."
In the real world, designated survivors have often tended to be low-ranking cabinet members, and until 9/11, had spent their evenings away from Washington, DC, in a variety of ways. Almost all choose to kick back, relax, and enjoy the perks of the presidential treatment for a few short hours.
Here are how past designated survivors have spent their State of the Union addresses as the possible president-to-be:
A designated survivor has been selected for the State of Union address since sometime in the 1960s, but the first one documented person was secretary of housing and urban development Samuel R. Pierce Jr. at former President Ronald Reagan's in January 1984.
Source: The American Presidency Project
In 1986, agriculture secretary John Block spent Reagan's address from his friend's house on the shores of Montego Bay, Jamaica. "I was having a glass of wine probably," Block said after the fact.
Source: ABC News
In 1990, secretary of veteran affairs Ed Derwinski had a pretty casual experience as the designated survivor. He had pizza near his home while his security detail stood by.
Source: ABC News
In 1996, secretary of health and human services Donna Shalala spent the State of the Union address in the White House. She reportedly ordered pizza for her staff after former President Bill Clinton told her, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
Source: ABC News
In 1997, secretary of agriculture Dan Glickman visited his daughter in Lower Manhattan to hang out at her apartment — "nuclear football" and all. But after the State of the Union ended and Secret Service left, they were left looking for taxis in the pouring rain.
Source: CBS News
In 1999, then-secretary of housing and urban development and now-governor of New York Andrew Cuomo opted to stay home to spend quality time with his kids.
Source: ABC News
In 2000, secretary of energy Bill Richardson spent his time as designated survivor hanging out with his family in coastal Maryland. They dined on roast beef and drank beers as the Secret Service watched over them.
Source: ABC News
But after the 9/11 attacks rocked the world, the role of designated survivor took on new gravity. From then on out, designated survivors were taken to an undisclosed location and didn't speak to reporters about their experiences.
Source: ABC News
"I think 9/11 created a new aura of reality," said interior secretary and 2011's designated survivor Ken Salazar. "It added a dimension of seriousness to that kind of protective measure."
Source: ABC News
In 2006, secretary of veterans affairs Jim Nicholson had to deal with this new level of seriousness when he was transported via helicopter to an unknown location and given a security briefing. But was able to enjoy a steak dinner in the process.
Source: ABC News
In 2010, an unusual circumstance meant that two designated survivors were selected.
Source: Washington Post
Then-secretary of state Hillary Clinton was abroad in London during the State of the Union, but secretary of housing and urban development Shaun Donovan was also named designated survivor.
Source: Washington Post
Had anything happened to the president, Clinton would have succeeded former President Barack Obama because she was next in the line of succession, but because her location was known, another survivor had to be selected.
Source: Washington Post
Thankfully — outside of the fictional TV show on ABC — no real designated survivors have had to fulfill their doomsday missions.
