You’ve Been Elected, Why Is This Guy Asking How You Feel All the Time? The Vice President and Succession

Abstract

American humorist Will Rogers once joked, “The man with the best job in the country is the vice president. All he ever has to do is get up every morning and say, ‘How is the President?’” (Rogers n.d.). This political humor by Rogers certainly cuts right to the heart of the need for a vice president. As such, it also points to one of the, if not the, most significant decisions a president will make. It is so significant because it is an early decision, made even before the fall campaign begins—or soon after a vacancy. It is also a decision that is dissected by the media and academics, is debated by members of the party, and is the focus of nearly all the speculation just prior to a convention. Since the heart of this whole discussion has been about the individuality of the office, choosing one’s potential successor is a singular indicator of the character, personality, and style any president brings to the office.