In the event that a disaster were to strike the United States during the State of the Union (SOTU) address and the nation's leaders -- from the President to the federal officials, members of Congress, Supreme Court and presidential cabinet -- were all incapacitated or wiped away, one low-ranking cabinet member would be chosen to "survive" and ensure the continuity of the governance of the country.
This year, former Charlotte Mayor and current Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx was tapped by the White House Chief of Staff to be the "designated survivor" to serve as the President in an interim basis.
The designated survivor position is a tradition that dates back to the Cold War. Since 9/11, it has become an even more serious job in Washington.
