Why Do Vice Presidents Make Bad Presidents

Event Details

Theresa Shapiro discusses why vice presidents have not historically been particularly successful as presidents. She attributes this phenomenon to the non-competitive selection of the vice president as well as the absence of a competitive election to build support. First she explains the constitutional impotency of the vice president, their recent increase in responsibility and their current importance to the president. She concludes her lecture by stressing that vice presidents need to be chosen primarily for their abilities to govern, not their popularity or ability to balance the ticket. During the questioning session she addresses the actual effect the vice president has on the election process, the selection of vice president Al Gore, statistical methods, Eisenhower?s popularity, Bush Sr.?s popularity, the role of calamity in presidential popularity, and presidential health.