The Vice-President Does Matter

Essay by rewsrews12College, Undergraduate December 2013

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The Vice President Does Matter

I'm always amazed when I hear someone say, "The Vice President of the U.S. doesn't matter", or "no one votes for the V.P. but everyone votes for the President". It is particularly interesting when I hear black folks saying these things. As I sat and watched the V.P. Debate last night, I couldn't help but to remember just how important the V.P. has been in this country.

You see we don't have to go back that far to find out just how important a V.P. is. We can go to Nov. 22, 1963 when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. L.B. Johnson hit the ground running as our new President. After watching Kennedy drag his feet on the Civil Rights Bill being pushed by Dr. King and others, Johnson signed it into law only 7 months after Kennedy's death on July 2, 1964. He came back only 1 year later and signed the Voters Rights Act on Aug. 6, 1965. No one can argue against the collective importance that these two pieces of legislation had for the rights of black folks in this country. When Richard Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974 after turning the office of the President into a disgrace, a cool headed, Midwesterner with middle class, hardworking values from Michigan by the name of Gerald Ford was able to restore confidence in the Oval Office. Not being an extremist, he was able to work across the aisle with Democrats to lift the nation.

Then there was Dan Quayle, V.P. to George H.W. Bush, who could not even spell the word POTATO . Never had the American public seen such an idiot in such high places. I clearly recall many in the Republican Party begging old man Bush to cut this in-experienced, wet behind...