First woman president of the USA

In an historic moment, the USA for the first time had a lady in charge. The moment came when President Joe Biden transferred power to Vice President Kamala Harris, making her the first woman President of the USA, so that he could undergo a short medical procedure.

The transfer of power is a routine process in the USA when a sitting President Joe Biden is incapacitated, as Biden was on Friday. Biden who is the USA’s oldest President, was put under anaesthetic for a routine colonoscopy for one hour and 25 minutes, according to the White House.

Biden, who turns 79 on Saturday, was apparently in good spirits following the procedure and has since resumed his duties. He remains in hospital where he will completes the rest of his routine physical, according to his office.

It’s routine for a vice president to assume presidential powers while the president undergoes a medical procedure that requires anaesthesia. Then Vice President Dick Cheney assumed office on more than one occasion with the President George Bush undergoing multiple colonoscopies. Officially transferring power is undertaken by the President sending a letter to the House Speaker and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

Although Harris is not the first woman vice president, she is the first woman president. Prior to this there had never been occasion to hand over the reins during the term of a woman Vice Presidents.

Colonoscopies according the NHS are undertaken to check what is causing bowel symptoms and involves the insertion of  a flexible tube with a small camera inside it is passed into your bottom.

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