21 percent became president by virtue of being vice president

This letter has not been edited

Mark Lawson, Denver

Published September 29, 2008 at 6 p.m.

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“We are voting for the President of the United States, not the Vice President,” goes the familiar refrain. Yet, consider the following: Vice President John Tyler became President when William Henry Harrison died of pneumonia.

Millard Fillmore did the same when Zachary Taylor fell ill, died, and failed to live out his term.

Andrew Johnson succeeded Abraham Lincoln due to the latter’s assassination.

Chester Arthur succeeded James Garfield after Garfield was fatally wounded by an assassin.

Teddy Roosevelt took over following William McKinley’s assassination.

Calvin Coolidge became President when Warren G Harding died of a heart attack in office.

Harry S Truman stepped up when Franklin D Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Lyndon B Johnson was sworn in on an airplane following the assassination of John F Kennedy.

Gerald Ford had to step in when Richard Nixon left the White House “voluntarily” in disgrace.

That makes 9 of 43 presidential office holders in the history of the United States, i.e. 21%, became President by virtue of being the Vice President.

Currently, we have a Republican candidate who is 72 years old, who, if he wins the election, will be the oldest man ever elected to that office, who is a cancer survivor, and who was subjected to sustained physical and mental torture as a young man; and we have a Democratic candidate who is the first African-American Presidential candidate of a major party in a country that has had more than a few violent racial episodes in its not so distant past.

Given the history of Vice Presidents ascending to the higher office, the specific characteristics of vulnerability of the two Presidential candidates, and the gravity of the world situation vis-à-vis economic turmoil, two land wars, immigration, terrorist threats, environmental degradation, budget deficits, and the United States’ standing in the world, it would seem that the experience, background, knowledge, ability and character of the candidates for the office of Vice President would take on a bit more urgency. No?

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Comments

September 30, 2008

5:42 a.m.

Suggest removal

LetsThink writes:

So what??

Governor Palin is ready to become President.

And the bigger question is: is Mr. Obama ready??? No.
September 30, 2008

6:08 a.m.

Suggest removal

ML writes:

Lets(Not)Think writes, "Governor Palin is ready to become President." Right. Would this be because she can see Russia from her backyard so therefore understands foreign policy, or would it be because she stopped the bridge to nowhere?
September 30, 2008

6:10 a.m.

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Tom writes:

Mr. Lawson does his homework and draws a credible picture of the need for caution in the selection of a Vice President.

LetsThink's oh-so-wise reply? "So what??"

Turn out the lights, Senator McCain. The party's over.
September 30, 2008

6:37 a.m.

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grandpaw writes:

Fareed Zakaria: "Will someone please put Sarah Palin out of her agony? Is it too much to ask that she come to realize that she wants, in that wonderful phrase in American politics, "to spend more time with her family"? Having stayed in purdah for weeks, she finally agreed to a third interview. CBS's Katie Couric questioned her in her trademark sympathetic style. It didn't help. When asked how living in the state closest to Russia gave her foreign-policy experience, Palin responded thus:

"It's very important when you consider even national-security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America. Where--where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to--to our state."

I mean, if you can't see Alaska from Washington D.C., how can Washington possibly know what's going on there? Not only can she see Alaska with the naked eye, but I'll bet she even has some powerful binoculars.

If she were in a tenth grade class, she'd get an F.
September 30, 2008

6:40 a.m.

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glowrock writes:

LetsThink, I want you to provide the forum here with FIVE reasons as to why and how Palin is ready to become President. And remember something very important here, popularity at home (ie: Alaska) doesn't count, because of course she's popular there! She increased oil & gas severance taxes to the highest in the nation, which not only allows Alaskans to have no income taxes, but also to receive several thousand dollars per year. Alaska is the only state (well, perhaps include Wyoming here) where Oil & Gas companies literally finance and support the entire state and its population.

Remember also that the populations of Alaska and Wyoming together equal only 1.2 million people, which is less than 0.5% of the population of this nation!
September 30, 2008

6:49 a.m.

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VeryOpinionated writes:

Tom - you (conveniently) missed LetsThink's point. 21% of Vice Presidents become Presidents. However, 100% of Presidents become Presidents (DUH), and Noobama isn't ready. Focus on whether he's ready, not Palin.
September 30, 2008

7:11 a.m.

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leftside writes:

Both VP candidates are preparing for the debate on Thursday night.

Biden is working on the points he wants to get across to the American people.

Palin is trying to figure out and memorize what the points are.

Yeah, she's ready to be president.
September 30, 2008

11:27 a.m.

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p_myers661 writes:

Hey glowrock, Here are my five:

Has had the responsibility for the administration of a state and therefore knows the limitation's of the head of a government and how to lead.

Has fought the Good Old Boy system in politics in both parties and won.

Had the guts to negotiate a pipeline when the experts told her it was impossible. Requires knowledge of how business works as well as how government works. Was an international agreement.

Finally fulfills the rant of those claiming, "If their kids were fighting, they would stop the war." Also has knowledge of military chain of command as well as practical, if limited, experience with the National Guard.

She drives liberals nuts. If they are so afraid of her there must be something good I don't know about.
September 30, 2008

12:46 p.m.

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Uno writes:

Joe Biden has the mental capacity of a retarded 5-year old, are you sure you would take a chance with him? I won't.
September 30, 2008

12:56 p.m.

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KarlCheney writes:

So the third interview with Couric, Palin has McCain sitting next to her so he can bail her out and inject the right answers for him when she stumbles. The right wing would go nuts if Biden had a V.P. interview with Obama next to him to help him out. You can't be serious to think this woman could be president if needed. The bar for the debates is so low with her that if she gives one reasonable answer or strings a coherent sentence together the conservatives will declare victory. I actually feel sorry for her, it could be such a disaster for her it could ruin any other political aspirations for her. She simply is in way over her head...
September 30, 2008

1:03 p.m.

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KarlCheney writes:

Uno,
Your convincing argument has swayed me. Palin seems to be the answer.
September 30, 2008

1:25 p.m.

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anderson writes:

I think the threat of McCain's health going bad is overblown. His mother is 96 or something. Richard Cheney, from what I can tell, has a far worse health history than McCain, and he's still ticking. Nonetheless, we don't know, and the vice-president (as history suggests) should always be fully qualified and ready to step into the President's position if needed.
September 30, 2008

1:42 p.m.

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anderson writes:

For those who didn't see it, conservative colunmnist Kathleen Parker wrote an article this week calling for Palin to step down, arguing that she is "out of her league".

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=...
September 30, 2008

2 p.m.

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leftside writes:

P_myers,

You have got to be kidding. The Republicans and conservatives are running away from her as fast as they can and still save face. Where do you get your information from? Sheeze!
September 30, 2008

2:28 p.m.

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p_myers661 writes:

Leftside,

I didn't "get" information from anyone. I made up my own mind. If I could I"d bet you a home cooked breakfast (Chicken fried steak, sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, home fries and home made biscuits. low fat too.) against a stale doughnut that McCain wins but my reasoning isn't political, it's from a lifetime's study of people. One clue: I was a champion debater when I was in high school and this past Friday was the first good debate I ever heard as an adult. If Biden goes into the same format against Palin, he's fighting a fire dressed in a gasoline soaked uniform. Want to hear the whole explanation?

My e-mail is: p_myers661@msn.com.

Message me. Those my husband will download when I'm bedbound or in the hospital.

I'll type my answer in the word processor and then paste them in e-mail when I can. I have worked on losing and winning campaigns. From what I've seen, Palin knows the secret to winning a debate in a hostile place. Every candidate I've seen who can do that, has won the debate and, those I've trained have always won the election.

My debate coach had it down in simple words:

"Don't leave the other guy a handle unless it's the one to the trap door he's standing on."

Sarah knows about handles. So does McCain. Obama would be the best at it if he could learn.
September 30, 2008

3:09 p.m.

Suggest removal

ML writes:

You have got to be kidding, p_myers. Biden is going to absolutely destroy your fun little myth that Palin is anything other than a one-trick political pony that is on it's last legs.
September 30, 2008

3:13 p.m.

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peterpi writes:

State national guards, for all intents and purposes, are extensions of the Department of Defense. If DOD says "Jump", governors salute and order the state national guards to do so. For local emergencies, state national guards have real commanders who figure out all the logistical details, then present governors orders to sign.
Sorry, but Governor Palin's title as commander-in-chief of the Alaska National Gaurd in no way means she's qualified to serve as commander-in-chief of all US forces, or even serve as the commander of the Fort Nowhere National Historical District.
September 30, 2008

4:01 p.m.

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anderson writes:

Notwithstanding her status as a debate champion, p_myers, in supporting Palin, seems to adopt talking points more than original arguments that might lend some sincerity:

"Has had the responsibility... [She is responsible]."

"Has fought the Good Old Boy system...and won."

"Had the guts to negotiate a pipeline when the experts told her it was impossible." (I like "guts". As a tough, pickup drivin' man, that appeals to me)

"Requires knowledge of how business works...[She is knowledgable. She knows business]"

All kinda vague and absent detail--like a political ad.

Now this sounds more like a p_myers original argument:
"Finally fulfills the rant of those claiming, "If their kids were fighting, they would stop the war." Also has knowledge of military chain of command as well as practical, if limited, experience with the National Guard."

Darn, back to the talking points:
"She drives liberals nuts. If they are so afraid of her there must be something good I don't know about." (this statement implicitly sets up sides--if "they" are against her, then I'm for her. Defining who are you are for, by who you oppose).
October 1, 2008

1:15 a.m.

Suggest removal

p_myers661 writes:

Anderson

part 1

Not one of your best posts.

Notwithstanding her status as a debate champion, p_myers, in supporting Palin, seems to adopt talking points more than original arguments that might lend some sincerity:

"Has had the responsibility... [She is responsible]."

Actually it should have read "Has..." At this time she is governor of Alaska and will either remain governor or leave that office to serve as vice president. To say she is responsible is a weaker form of the first argument. Much easier to attack.

Mine a statement of fact as much as it is a statement of opinion. Please remember the original question was, "FIVE reasons as to why and how Palin is ready to become President." That means a reason that is your opinion but stating a fact. Running a state as the governor, a city as the mayor or a union hearing in place of a reluctant union official, is a test of the ability to restrain from using powers that are more rooted in appearance than fact. You have the power to order things, like "be quiet" and be obeyed at most once or use voice word and gesture to encourage the group to quiet itself. You can order few things but encourage many. Palin learned that as a mayor and the lessons apply well to higher office.

"Has fought the Good Old Boy system...and won."

Notice you ignored this one.
October 1, 2008

1:29 a.m.

Suggest removal

p_myers661 writes:

Part 2

"Has fought the Good Old Boy system...and won."

Notice you ignored this one.

"Had the guts to negotiate a pipeline when the experts told her it was impossible." (I like "guts". As a tough, pickup drivin' man, that appeals to me) <Appeals to me as a sweet little old lady too.>
"Requires knowledge of how business works...[She is knowledgable. She knows business]"
Had the guts to negotiate a pipeline when the experts told her it was impossible. Requires knowledge of how business works--as well as how government works. Was an international agreement.

All kinda vague and absent detail--like a political ad.

Let's look at the entire portion of the post:You keep dividing the posts into two parts and attacking each individually.
Yes you cut of the part after business works. Knowledge of both business and government is crucial to govern well. It also required ability to negotiate with another country.

Now this sounds more like a p_myers original argument:

"Finally fulfills the rant of those claiming, "If their kids were fighting, they would stop the war." Also has knowledge of military chain of command as well as practical, if limited, experience with the National Guard."

This was one of the loudest screams against Bush and other Republicans. Guess it becomes a talking point when it is true and it makes a valid statement.

Darn, back to the talking points:
Well, If you didn't want me to refute liberal talking points just say so.

"She drives liberals nuts. If they are so afraid of her there must be something good I don't know about."

(this statement implicitly sets up sides--if "they" are against her, then I'm for her. Defining who are you are for, by who you oppose).

Guess you never got the memo on how to count to five. This was number six. One reason more because it is so true. The harshest attacks come from Obama supporters and far left posters and their groups. I have always been conservative and have contempt for most of the liberal ideas like wealth redistribution, excessive taxes, socialized medicine, extreme attacks on business and a rabid hatred of capitalism.

Anderson this is not one of your best posts. Debate is much like posting but live and without a delete key. You could learn to debate easily. As I said, I have taught politicians. That's almost as tough as training cats. I do that too. Well, all but one. Just don't try to eat potato chips in front of her. You won't get many.

Home › Opinion › Letters to the Editor

21 percent became president by virtue of being vice president

This letter has not been edited

Mark Lawson, Denver

Published September 29, 2008 at 6 p.m.

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