Time was, it was understood that the function of the vice president – his Constitutional job definition – was simple:
Article II, Section 1, Paragraph 6: 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.
Article I, Section 3, Paragraph 4: The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.
Clearly, it’s not an exalted office with extensive powers or responsibilities. Still, in most quadrennial campaigns, one or both of the major parties’ putative nominees for president strive to whip up excitement about who will be their vice presidential nominees. It’s rather difficult to comprehend on a purely legalistic basis.
This year, the GOP has fomented excitement over the nomination for VP, which has landed on James David (J. D.) Vance. Perhaps it’s more appropriate than usual, since Trump will be limited to a single term. However, VPs don’t always go directly from the Naval Observatory to the White House. It has happened:
- John Adams (succeeded George Washington)
- Thomas Jefferson (succeeded John Adams)
- Martin van Buren (succeeded Andrew Jackson)
- John Tyler (succeeded William Henry Harrison)
- Millard Fillmore (succeeded Zachary Taylor)
- Andrew Johnson (succeeded Abraham Lincoln)
- Chester Arthur (succeeded James Garfield)
- Theodore Roosevelt (succeeded William McKinley)
- Calvin Coolidge (succeeded Warren Harding)
- Harry Truman (succeeded Franklin D. Roosevelt)
- Lyndon Johnson (succeeded John F. Kennedy)
- Gerald Ford (succeeded Richard Nixon)
- George H. W. Bush (succeeded Ronald Reagan)
Note that of the above thirteen:
- eight (the ones in red) assumed the presidency upon the death of the elected president;
- one did so upon his president’s resignation;
- only four became president by election immediately after having served as vice president.
And of course, one vice president was elected to the presidency discontinuously with his term as VP: Richard Nixon.
So the office is not without significance beyond its Constitutional role.
Donald Trump, who is heavily favored to win back the presidency, is as of today 78 years old. As several presidents died in office at similar ages, Trump’s VP should receive scrutiny. Is he a man fit for the presidency? What baggage does he carry? What are his political antecedents?
Sundance at The Last Refuge has compiled some interesting observations about the man now known as J. D. Vance:
- He’s changed his name three times, most recently in 2014;
- He’s friends with Vivek Ramaswamy;
- He’s been closely watched and sponsored by key Bilderbergers Eric Schmidt and Peter Thiel;
- Before Trump’s election to the presidency, Vance was a fierce anti-Trump critic;
- His political career is shallow: he’s been an elected official for only two years (U.S. Senate).
So apart from Hillbilly Elegy and the most recent events, Vance is little known beyond his intimates.
The recent attempt to assassinate Donald Trump came before his selection of Vance as his running mate. Since then, the possibility that that won’t be the last attempt on Trump’s life has given extra significance to his VP selection. It would be well for those of us who hope for a true continuation of Trump’s policies after his departure from office to know Vance a lot better. Sundance is dubious about him; others have other views.
Given all the above, J. D. Vance is a figure that deserves watching.
