THE VICE PRESIDENCY AS APPRENTICESHIP

In: Presidential studies quarterly, Band 13, Heft 2, S. 212-218

Abstract

IT HAS BEEN ARGUED THAT ALL OF THE REASONS FOR RETAINING THE OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENCY COULD BE REDUCED ULTIMATELY TO THE CONTENTION THAT THE OFFICE SERVES AS A "TRAINING GROUND" OR APPRENTICESHIP FOR THE PRESIDENCY. THUS, THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION SHOULD DETERMINE THE FATE OF THE OFFICE. ONE HISTORIAN, ARTHUR SCHLESINGE, JR., ARUGES THAT THE VICE PRESIDENCY NOT ONLY FAILS TO PREPARE INDIVIDUALS FOR THE PRESIDENCY, BUT IT IS A MAIMING EXPERIENCE. IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THE DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS, THE RATING OF PRESIDENTS WITH PREVIOUS VICE PRESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCE WERE COMPARED WITH THOSE WHO HAD NO SUCH EXPERIENCE. IN ADDITION, OTHER POLITICAL EXPERIENCES WERE COMPARED WITH THOSE SCORES (SERVING AS GOVERNOR AND IN CONGRESS). THE RESULTS TEND TO SUPPORT SCHLESINGER'S ARGUMENT OR, AT LEAST, REFUTE THE ARGUMENT THAT THE VICE PRESIDENCY IS THE BEST POSITION FROM WHICH TO BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH THE PRESIDENCY. THE HIGHEST RATINGS WERE FOR THOSE PRESIDENTS WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS GOVERNORS; THE WORST WERE FOR THOSE WHO HAD SERVED AS VICE PRESIDENT FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS. THE COUNTER ARGUMENT THAT RECENT VICE PRESIDENTS ARE OF A HIGHER CALIBER WAS ALSO TESTED USING THE SAME DATA AND FOUND TO BE ONLY INSIGNIFICANTLY SUPPORTED. THE "ROOT" OF THE PROBLEM LIES IN THE CALIBER OF INDIVIDUALS SELECTED AS PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEES. SELECTION OF BETTER CANDIDATES HERE SHOULD IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF INDIVIDUALS SELECTED FOR VICE PRESIDENT. DOES EXPERIENCE AS VICE PRESIDENT CONTRPY: 1983