Constitution of the United States

The Constitution of the United States anchors oaths of office and executive succession protocols. Speaker Walken recites the pledge to 'preserve, protect and defend' it during his swearing-in as Acting President in the Oval Office. This document supplies the legal authority for 25th Amendment handoffs, enabling temporary power transfers from President Bartlet amid grief over Molly's death and the Beech Baron incident. Staff orchestrate the procedure around its mandates, turning a crisis ritual into a display of constitutional continuity.