Thread by @greggiroux

Some past joint sessions of Congress to count and certify electoral votes (video):

1989: c-span.org/video/?7752-1/…

1993: c-span.org/video/?36840-1…

1997: c-span.org/video/?77764-1…

2001: c-span.org/video/?161423-… 1/

2005:

Part 1: c-span.org/video/?185007-…

House debate on Boxer/Tubbs Jones' Ohio objection & vote (objection rejected 31-267): c-span.org/video/?185005-…

Senate debate on Ohio objection & vote (rejected 1-74): c-span.org/video/?185006-…

Part 2: c-span.org/video/?185007-… 2/

More joint sessions of Congress to count and certify electoral votes:

2009: c-span.org/video/?283204-…

2013: c-span.org/video/?310219-…

2017: c-span.org/video/?421237-…
3/

The Vice President usually (but not always) has presided over the joint session.

In January 1989, VP George H.W. Bush got to announce his own victory in the 1988 presidential election. 4/

“Joseph Biden of the state of Delaware has received, for Vice President of the United States, 332 votes.” – Joe Biden, announcing his re-election on the Democratic ticket led by President Barack Obama, January 2013:
c-span.org/video/?c493348… 5/

Al Gore, the outgoing Vice President in January 2001, announced his 271-266 defeat to George W. Bush in the Electoral College and also gaveled down House Democrats who protested the Florida vote but didn't get a senator to sign an objection: c-span.org/video/?c493348… 6/

"Dan Quayle of the state of Indiana has received 168 votes." - Dan Quayle in January 1993, announcing the victory of Bill Clinton and Al Gore over the Bush-Quayle Republican ticket that was defeated for re-election: c-span.org/video/?c493347… 7/

1949 session:

Senate president pro tempore Kenneth McKellar presided. No VP! The vice presidency was vacant ~4 years after Truman ascended to presidency pre-25th Amendment. Alben Barkley, elected with Truman in 1948, sworn in as VP Jan. 20.

Other oddities in article here:

At the January 1957 joint session to count electoral votes, Vice President Richard Nixon got to announce his and President Dwight Eisenhower’s re-election … 9/

… but Nixon four years later formally announced his close loss in the 1960 presidential election to John F. Kennedy.

Nixon: “Those who lose accept the verdict, and support those who win.” 10/

In January 1969, outgoing Vice President Hubert Humphrey didn’t preside over the joint session (where he would have had to announce his loss to Nixon in 1968). Humphrey was in Oslo for the funeral of Trygve Lie, the first UN Secretary General. 11/

1969 session featured formal objection to North Carolina "faithless elector" Lloyd Bailey casting his vote for George Wallace after pledging to back GOP nominee (Nixon).

Sen. Ed Muskie, Rep. James O’Hara signed objection along with other members including Rep. George Bush. 12/

The Muskie-O’Hara objection was rejected, though many voted to sustain it – it failed 170-228 in the House and 33-58 in the Senate. The joint session reconvened, and the electoral vote count was completed (Nixon 301, Humphrey 191, Wallace 46) 13/

How to Watch Wednesday’s Electoral College Count in Congress – @DanielPFlatley & @Mniquette
bloomberg.com/news/articles/… 14/