The Importance of the Vice President“The most

insignificant officer that ever the

invention of man contrived”

– first Vice President, John Adams

“You’re not going to take it are you?”

“I suppose I’ll have to”– Conversation between Grace Coolidge and her husband after he was

nominated for VP in 1920

“I do not propose to be buried until I am dead.”–Daniel Webster, turning down the vice presidency in

1839

“I would a great deal rather be anything, say professor of history, than vice president.”

–Theodore Roosevelt

“The vice presidency is not only a

meaningless but a hopeless office.”

–Arthur Schlesinger Jnr

“I have no interest in it. Might very well

turn it down, indeed, and probably would.”

–Al Gore, before becoming Clinton’s

running mate in 1992

“The vice president has two duties. One is to inquire daily

as to the health of the president, and the other is to attend the funerals of Third World dictators. And neither

of those do I find an enjoyable exercise.”

–Presidential candidate John McCain in 2000

“I never had a boss. I don’t know how I’d handle it.”

–Joe Biden, before he became Obama’s running mate

Enquiry Question: Is the vice presidency ‘not only a meaningless but hopeless office’?

Learning Objectives

• To identify the role and powers of the vice president

• To complete a short-answer exam question: Assess the importance of the role of the vice president.

Read Article 2, Section 1 (Role of VP)

In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the same

shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by law provide for the case of

removal, death, resignation or inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what officer shall then act as President, and such officer shall act

accordingly, until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

Constitutional Analysis

Thinking Points• What do you think this article actually

says?• What does it refer to when it says “the

same shall devolve upon the Vice President”?

• Does it mean the responsibilities of the President, or the presidency itself?

• Does the Vice President remain Vice President, or become Acting President if the President is still alive?

The fact that John Tyler in 1841 took over the actual role of President from W H Harrison may have set a precedent, but didn’t really establish the Vice President’s official position any more

strongly.

• The problem is quite simple…The Constitution says very little about what the actual role of the Vice President would be if he did not actually take over that of the President.

• Article 1 Section 3 tells us:– Casting vote as ‘president

of senate’ (rare and usually done by president pro-tem)

– Presiding over counting of presidential election votes

Roles of the Vice President“Still not much else…”

• The Constitution only gives the Vice President two duties besides becoming President if the President is removed from office:1) to preside over the Senate, and2) to help decide the question of

presidential disability.• If the office of Vice President

becomes vacant, the President nominates a new Vice President subject to the approval of Congress.

• Today, the Vice President often performs diplomatic and political chores for the President.

Roles of the Vice President“Still not much else…”

The Evolution of the Vice-Presidency

Read the following parts of the constitution;• 12th Amendment 1804• 25th Amendment 1967

How do you think the vice-presidency has evolved?

Constitutional Analysis

Presidential Disability

• Sections 3 and 4 of the 25th Amendment provide procedures to follow when the President is disabled.

• The Vice President is to become acting President if(1) the President informs Congress, in writing,

“that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office,” or

(2) the Vice President and a majority of the members of the Cabinet inform Congress, in writing, that the President is thus incapacitated.

What happens?

Examples: 25th Amendment in Actionhttp://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/acting_presidents.php

• Only 4 VPs have announced their own victories after presiding over the electoral college vote – Adams, Jefferson, Van Buren and Bush Sr.

• We may infer from this that the vice presidency doesn’t seem to be the best possible direct route to being elected president.

• Only 14 VPs have gone on to the presidency, including those who were forced to take over because of death or resignation of the president during a term o foffice.

Pause For ThoughtMaking the leap between VP & P

Vice Presidents who have become Presidents

The Constitution and Succession

• Presidential succession is the plan by which a presidential vacancy is filled.

• The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, made it clear that the Vice President will become President if the President is removed from office.

• The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 set the order of succession following the Vice President.

Vice Presidents who have succeeded to the Presidency

The only two VPs to resign from office – John C Calhoun and Spiro Agnew.

Pause For Thought

Calhoun resigned in 1832 to join the Senate after falling out with

President Jackson.Agnew was forced to resign in 1973 after being investigated for fraud.

Have you been listening?

1. 472. John Adams3. Article 2 Section 14. Amendment 125. That the vice president has the casting vote as president of the

senate6. George H W Bush in 19897. John C Calhoun and Spiro Agnew8. Lyndon B Johnson

1. How many vice presidents have there been including Joe Biden?2. Who was the first?3. Where in the constitution does it say that the vice president

takes over should the President not be able to continue in office?

4. Which amendment said that there had to be a separate vote to elect the vice president?

5. Article 1 Section 3 says what about the vice president in relation to the Senate?

6. Who was the latest vice president to directly succeed the previous president?

7. Name the two vice presidents who have resigned from office?8. Which vice president succeeded Kennedy on the latter’s death?

Quick Quiz

The Modern Vice PresidencyYOUR TASK:• Read “The Modern Vice President” p7-9 (ZigZag)• Read “Vice Presidential Case Studies” p10-11 (ZigZag)

“What are the principal reasons why the vice presidency has

become more important since the second half of the 20th

century?”

Have you been listening?

1. The Old Naval Observatory, Washington2. Al Gore and Dick Cheney3. The Dream Ticket4. Geraldine Ferraro5. Sarah Palin6. Joe Biden

1. Where is the vice president’s official residence?2. Who were Clinton’s and George W Bush’s vice

presidents?3. What name do we give to the careful choice of running

mate that complements the skills of the presidential candidate?

4. Who was the first woman vice presidential nominee for a major party?

5. Who was the second?6. Whom did Obama choose as his running mate in 2008?

Quick Quiz

How important is the role of the Vice-President?• Read “Bringing it all Together – What is the

importance of the vice president?” p12-13 (ZigZag)• Read “Essay Writing Tips) p14 (ZigZag)

Indicative Content

Among the ways the role of the vice-president may be seen to be important are:• ‘balancing the ticket’ in elections providing experience or expertise• taking responsibility for specific areas of policy• acting as a congressional liaison• ‘attack dog’ – criticising opponents more forcefully than the president is

able to• standing in for the president• cheerleader – taking the lead on potentially unpopular policiesArguably, the role of vice president reached a new level of importance during the tenure of Dick Cheney, principally because of President Bush’s relative inexperience in a number of key areas; Joe Biden has assumed an increasingly high-profile role as vice-president, but is unlikely to match the extent of Cheney’s influence.

How important is the role of the Vice-President?

Homework

Research & Note Taking• Compile notes on how Joe Biden’s vice-

presidency differs from that of Dick Cheney.• What are the implications/consequences of

these differences for the institution of the vice presidency?

Further Reading• Vice President of the United States [VLE]