Vice Presidents that should have become Presidents

[Big Blue Machine]

I would pick Nelson A. Rockefeller as the best vice president that should have been president in his political life. He had a very good record as governor of New York (1959-1973). He put in place the strictest drug laws, and he helped to develop New York into a modren state.

As Vice President, he presided over a Presidential Commission in 1975 that was investigating the CIA and some of its covert activities. At its conclusion he said that "the CIA has engaged in a number of plainly unlawful programs". But the report was filed away and no one faced any legal consequences.

He would have been a great Liberal Republican President if his Presidental campaigns in either 60, 64, or 68 suceeded. Shame he was never picked.

[Big Blue Machine]

No one listens to poor old Big Blue.

[Newfie Canadian]

I have to confess, BBM, I know very little about US vice-presidents.

AN interesting topic though.

[daniel]

Al Gore.

That was too easy.

[Big Blue Machine]

You have to explain why!

[Cartman]

No one listens to poor old Big Blue.

Not true, many of us just do not know a whole lot about US politics. I say Gore would have made a good president because he is intelligent, thoughtful about policy alternatives and well, appears to be quite honest. The only thing he really lacks is charisma. He was no Clinton.

[Big Blue Machine]

That's ok.

[daniel]

You have to explain why!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hanging chads, pregnant chads and a whole lot of old democrats who accidentally voted for Buchanan because the ballot was so confusing.

Not only that, WMDs in Iraq, the commission on 911, and the Downing Street Memo are clear indications the wrong man became president in 2000.

[for_liberty]

The commision on 911 would have been a farce either way. They always are.

[shoop]

Al Gore should have been become President simply because he won Florida and the Supreme Court erred in its decision to stop counting. (Personally I though Bill Bradley would have made a better nominee, but such is life.)

Rockefeller is an interesting choice, but who else is there?

As it turns out he was competing with Nixon for the moderate Republican delegates in 1960 (libreal Republican is a pretty big misnomer). In 1964 he was insane to run anyways, NOBODY could've beaten Johnson with the nation grieving like it was. 1968 was Nixon's chance to shine.

Looking back though, there isn't much competition. Since 1952 all the VPs have gotten the top job eventually or won the nomination only to lose the general. With the exceptions of Dan Quayle (who nobody thinks would've made a great President) and Rockefeller.

Oh yeah, I forgot about Spiro Agnew, but I guess the bribery charges (with the nolo contendre plea) sorta exclude him.

[Big Blue Machine]

If Agnew hadn't resigned, Nixon could have used him as a weapon during the Watergate thing. Nixon could have said "Do you want Spiro Agnew to become President?". Most democrats hated Agnew's guts.

[Slavik44]

Now tell me how many people said Al gore just so bush wouldn;t have become president???

Anyways seing as hwo BBM wants so action in his thread....I will through three names in, unfortunantley two of them are just losers of the presidential race that I gained some level of respect for during my American history courses.

1. Henry Clay , hey he lost the presidential election more then F.D.R won it, I think...and after seeing overheads put up daily showing this guy lossing...I really started to feel sorry for the poor guy, but beyond that I really got the impression that he was a central figure in American politics during a critical time in the nation, and I do belive that history may have been very different had he not existed.

2. Robert LaFollette, another third party progressive candidate who ran in one presidential election, and lost. He was a man of his convictiosn and he stuck to them...wether you agree or disagree you can't help but somewhat respect that. But other then just being a third party candidate he did have expirence in government as a very popular and succesfull govenor.

3. John nance garner, okay I am only saying this because off the top of my head he is the only VP I truly remember and thats just because he compared the vice presidency to a steaming glass of piss.