Appointing officers

[Guest Williams]

if the President is at the meeting, can he appoint the Vice President in charge of the meeting, so that the President can make motions and be involved in discussions? We are thinking that if the President appoints the Vice President in charge of the meeting, the President needs to leave the meeting.

[Edgar Guest]

If the president steps down in order to engage in debate, the vice-president (if present) automatically takes the chair. No appointing necessary. And, of course, the president doesn't need to leave (if he did, how could he participate in debate?).

[SaintCad]

I wouldn't say it's automatic.  That presumes that  the vice-president has not already engaged in debate on the motion. (p 395)  Otherwise the president appoints a new chair from qualified members subject of course to unanimous consent or barring that a vote.