Welcome to our latest Monthly Topic! Remember, you don’t have to write an eloquent treatise – just a couple of simple sentences will do!
It’s a great time for our NEW MEMBERS to jump in and let their voices be heard!
Many sitting vice presidents ran for president and lost. The last to be elected president while currently vice president was George H.W. Bush in 1988 and before him, Martin Van Buren in 1836. Both were one-term presidents, losing their bid for reelection.
Do you think it’s just a coincidence, or is being the sitting vice president a disadvantage to being elected president?
People often say that the VP office diminishes a candidate’s standing, which may be true, but I think we also need to consider that VP candidates are usually chosen by the presidential candidate to complement the ticket in terms of geography, ideology, or experience. They are not necessarily people who are best suited to run nationally on their own. Therefore, it is not too surprising that many have not even attempted to run on their own, and most who have, have not succeeded.
Because a VP’s job is often under the radar, perhaps Americans subconsciously think that VPs don’t do very much, and in their minds that translates to: they won’t make very good presidents.