John Nance Garner didn’t think much of the job he held under Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s. ‘The vice presidency isn’t worth a bucket of warm spit,’ he once declared.
But he was wrong. Over the years, the role has regularly been a platform for the Oval Office.
Some 15 vice presidents have gone on to take the top job, including Joe Biden, who served eight years as Barack Obama‘s deputy.
As America prepares to go to the polls this autumn, there is a strong chance that Biden’s own controversial sidekick, Kamala Harris, could follow him into the White House. Tonight, Harris takes part in her first televised debate against Donald Trump.
It will be a vital test, particularly because – owing to the unorthodox nature of her selection after Biden’s sudden announcement in July that he would not stand against Trump – she has not endured anything like the usual media examination that a presidential candidate has to suffer.
As America prepares to go to the polls this autumn,…
