Vice Presidency

Comparing Republican And Democratic Vice Presidents Since 1961!

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America has had a total of 50 Vice Presidents in its history since 1789.

Fourteen of those Vice Presidents have served since 1961, with eight being Republicans, and six being Democrats.

Asssessing their significance, and perceptions of their performances, there is no comparison that would rate the Republicans as superior to the Democrats, and in fact, the differences are massive!

The eight Republican Vice Presidents include in order of service in the office:

Spiro Agnew
Gerald Ford
Nelson Rockefeller
George H W Bush
Dan Quayle
Dick Cheney
Mike Pence
JD Vance

The six Democratic Vice Presidents include in order of service in the office:

Lyndon B. Johnson
Hubert Humphrey
Walter Mondale
Al Gore
Joe Biden
Kamala Harris

Nobody in their right mind would claim that the Republicans come anywhere close in background, image, and significance to the Democrats.

Only Gerald Ford, Nelson Rockefeller, and George H W Bush are looked upon in a positive way, while all six Democrats “shine”, and particularly Walter Mondale, Al Gore, and Joe Biden.

LBJ and Humphrey do not look as “good” as Vice Presidents because their Presidents chose not to utilize their talents adequately, which is a criticism of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Harris had the extra disadvantage of being unique, as a woman and mixed race Vice President, in a country where there is still misogyny and racism, sad to say.

But the remaining five Republican Vice Presidents are really horrendous, with Spiro Agnew and Dan Quayle clearly so, and with Dick Cheney, while certainly competent, perceived as “Darth Vader”, overly autocratic and seen in a negative light.

And Donald Trump’s two Vice Presidents are perceived in a negative light, but already, JD Vance in just six weeks appears far worse than Mike Pence!

In any scholarly ranking of Vice Presidents, the top three Vice Presidents in history would be in order–Walter Mondale, Joe Biden, and Al Gore.

And in any scholarly ranking of Vice Presidents, the bottom three would include in order—Spiro Agnew, Dan Quayle, and likely JD Vance!

The fact that Dick Cheney and Mike Pence would be rated above these three disastrous Vice Presidents, is quite a testimony to how horrendous Agnew, Quayle, and Vance have been to the office, with Vance “accomplishing” this failure in six weeks and by his statements and viewpoints expressed making the possibility of his succeeding Trump in the future as quite scary, to say the least!

The End Of A Half Century Of Statemanship, Leadership, And Contributions!

Ronald 12 Comments

President Joe Biden is in his last full day of his four years in the Oval Office.

This is a time for celebration and pride in the leadership of the 46th President of the United States.

Joe Biden did not do everything perfectly well, but no President or any other political leader can insure constant success.

But his Presidency, already rated as number 14 in one scholarly poll, will remain in the top third and likely will rise over time, particularly and sadly, after his future demise.

Joe Biden gave the nation a half century of statesmanship, leadership, and contributions, and he showed Americans what a leader is like who has true character, morals, ethics, compassion, decency, and empathy, rare in the Presidency historically.

His years in public office were only surpassed by one President, John Quincy Adams, who spent more than half his time in appointed office, not elective office, as Biden did with 36 years in the US Senate, 8 years in the Vice Presidency, and 4 years in the Oval Office.

This author and blogger “fell in love”, so to speak in the 1970s, after his original “hero”, Senator, Vice President and Presidential nominee Hubert Humphrey passed away, as Biden came across to me as the closest equivalent to the nature of Humphrey.

There is a sense of great pride and satisfaction that after two failed tries for the Oval Office, Biden finally won it, and took us out of the horrendous once in a century Covid 19 Pandemic, and restored faith in the Presidency after the disastrous, crime ridden, abusive four years of Donald Trump.

We now enter a very sad return of Trump, but all decent Americans cannot give up, but must fight in every legal fashion to limit the harm and damage that Trump will certainly wage.

The quest for a return of the Democratic Party and its common decency must be waged without pause.

Meanwhile, God Bless Joe Biden and his lovely wife, First Lady Jill Biden, and wish them the best in future years!

Facing Reality: Voting For Trump Means President Vance!

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Donald Trump is clearly in cognitive decline, for anyone who has a brain, and watches how Trump acts at rallies, and his lunatic statements promoting threats and violence.

If somehow he is elected, it seems clear that, mentally, Donald Trump will not survive a four year term in stable mental shape, and with his overweight and other medical issues that he refuses to share with the American people, the odds are good that he might not survive the term.

So face reality, that voting for Donald Trump means President JD Vance is very likely, or at the long range scenario, Vance, if not becoming President during the term, will have a very good possibility of following Trump by election in the White House.

So when voting, one has to think about the concept of JD Vance, a chameleon, massive liar, and a nasty individual to boot, who has been promoted by billionaires, including Peter Thiel and Elon Musk, because the odds are very high that he would succeed Trump during the term.

With Vance being a heartbeat away from the Oval Office, and the fact of the Project 2025 architects and others who already were abusing power in the first Trump Administration, but gained pardons from Trump, likely to have a major role in the operation of the government over the next four years, the conclusion is clear!

This should be enough motivation for Americans to cast their vote for Kamala Harris, as the only alternative to save the nation from Fascism!

Kamala Harris Being Judged Differently Due To Race And Gender

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This entry is being revised from the original entry, which accidentally was deleted by the author, for which I apologize. I will be brief in summarizing my ideas on this entry with the same title, and anyone who had commented on the original entry, I would ask to submit a similar comment, and again, my apologies for the blunder, which has never happened before today, and will not happen again!

John F. Kennedy (Catholic); Barack Obama (African American); and Hillary Clinton (female), all faced discrimination and bias due to their uniqueness as Presidential candidates in 1960, 2008, and 2016, respectively.

In the first two cases, the issue of Catholicism and of race were overcome, while Clinton, although winning the popular vote by 2.85 million, was unable to win the Electoral College.

Now, Kamala Harris who is the second woman to seek the Presidency and has Asian Indian and African-Jamaican heritage, is facing critics who are claiming she is unqualified on intelligence and on abilities and knowledge, to occupy the Oval Office.

Harris has had more government experience than most Presidents, more than all Presidents since 1900, except for Lyndon B. Johnson, Gerald Ford, and Joe Biden.

Harris is also much more intelligent than some Presidents, including Warren G. Harding, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump since 1900; and also more qualified to be President than some Vice Presidents who succeeded to the Oval Office, including Andrew Johnson and Calvin Coolidge.

So the negativism around Harris in some circles should be seen as not worthy of being considered, and hopefully, she will break the barrier as the first woman President in American history!

Trump’s Mental Instability And Deterioration Getting Worse Every Day!

admin 3 Comments

Not enough attention has been paid to the rapid mental deterioration of Donald Trump that he demonstrates daily at his campaign rallies and in his statements on Truth Social.

When one compares his ranting and raving, and his massive exaggerations in all he says and publishes, it is clear he is not mentally stable to lead our nation and have control of the nuclear codes.

Many complained that Joe Biden was clearly in some decline mentally, but nothing as threatening and dangerous as Trump has presented to anyone who has any sense of wanting normality in behavior and public statements.

Trump would be a danger to everyone, and yet his wife and children seem oblivious to his mental state, and Republican office holders just ignore his behavior, as if it is normal.

The nation cannot survive four years of this maniacal behavior, so it is clear JD Vance would have greater power and authority than any Vice President has ever had.

But Vance himself has demonstrated that he is a liar, a chameleon, a person who is in league with right wing tech tycoons, who do not wish well for the vast variety of Americans.

A technology run dictatorship, with Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and others is a horrifying thought, and it is urgent that the message get out that, as Liz Cheney and many other Republicans and conservatives who are not presently office holders have made clear, that it is extremely necessary for people who may not agree with Democratic nominee Kamala Harris on every issue, to see her as the only alternative to save American democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law!

Liz Cheney, Kamala Harris At Ripon, Wisconsin: Birthplace Of Republican Party 170 Years Ago, And Now In Crisis!

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Today is a very momentous day, as former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, is campaigning for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in Ripon, Wisconsin, the birthplace of the Republican Party in 1854!

Cheney and Harris do not agree much on policy, but Cheney and many other conservatives and Republicans are supporting her election because of the threat posed by Donald Trump’s attempt to return to the White House in the elections next month.

Trump is an existential threat to American democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law, and Cheney has sacrificed her political career in opposing Trump after the US Capitol Insurrection of January 6, 2021, which caused five deaths of law enforcement officers and injuries to more than 140 other law enforcement personnel.

This is true patriotism in the best sense, and Cheney and many other conservatives and Republicans who are showing principle will be remembered in a positive way in American history for the long run!

The Tim Walz-JD Vance Vice Presidential Debate

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Tonight, CBS will sponsor the one Vice Presidential debate, between Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator JD Vance.

Walz has years of experience in government, as a House member for 12 years and as Minnesota Governor for six years, while Vance has less than two years in the US Senate as his total government experience.

Sadly, the fact that one candidate has much more experience does not mean that such candidate has an edge over his opponent, because experience is often not a factor in who will triumph in a debate or in an election at any level.

However, the fact that Donald Trump is 78 years old and in cognitive decline makes the reality of 40 year old JD Vance much more terrifying, as clearly, if Trump is elected, it is likely that Vance might succeed him during the term, and if not, would be the frontrunner for his party in 2028.

There is a general feeling that Tim Walz would be far less a problem to worry about, were he, somehow, to succeed to the Presidency.

JD Vance clearly is a liar and a chameleon, and should not be a heartbeat away from the Oval Office.

Tonight’s debate will showcase the differences between the two candidates.

Kamala Harris MSNBC Interview With Stephanie Ruhle A Homerun On Substance!

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It has been two months since Kamala Harris began her Presidential race, having a late start, and many critics saying she was not being specific on policy, and not agreeing to interviews.

The idea that a new campaign could please all critics overnight was preposterous, and meanwhile, Kamala Harris’s public opinion rating has improved by 16 points in two months, the most since George W. Bush after September 11, 2001!

Harris has been very busy and committed, and has come across as a charming, knowledgeable, intelligent, and very likeable woman, who is surging ahead in polls against Republican nominee Donald Trump, after being ridiculed and underrated by those who thought she should not be the Democratic nominee.

The fact that Harris stayed in the background as Vice President was misunderstood, as no Vice President would be so bold as to try to draw attention away from the President who they serve.

Harris was involved in all policy making and shares the successes of President Joe Biden, and now she has been interviewed on MSNBC by Stephanie Ruhle, a very impressive performance with precise details on her economic plans, and making clear how she is a great alternative to the flailing and incoherent Donald Trump.

Harris has hit a homerun, and anyone who avoids being prejudiced against her because she is a woman and of mixed race Black and Asian Indian ancestry, would have to accept that Harris has proved her mettle, and that she is well qualified for the Oval Office, and will save the nation from the Fascist demagoguery of Donald Trump!

JD Vance Is Outrageous In Rhetoric Against Kamala Harris!

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Ohio Senator JD Vance, the Vice Presidential nominee with Donald Trump, has become a “clear and present danger” by his outrageous rhetoric, simply by asserting that Kamala Harris has not been threatened with her life, as Donald Trump has now been twice threatened by potential assassins. That is totally inappropriate to say by any candidate!

It is Trump and Vance who have been speaking and threatening bloodshed and violence, and unwillingness to accept election results, and it is the Republican Presidential team which is using incendiary language and promoting racism, misogyny and causing grief to Haitian immigrants and the city of Springfield, Ohio!

Considering that Trump and Vance have utilized confrontational language and attacked the news media for reporting their evil deeds, it is them that have provoked danger and hatred, not Kamala Harris, or Joe Biden, or Tim Walz! Their incendiary language provokes unstable people, and is a danger to public safety!

Trump has talked about a “dictatorship on Day One”, which requires a response.

JD Vance has spread rumors that have caused a crisis in Springfield, Ohio, and refused to stop spreading lies and fear, and he needs to be held accountable.

His mistreatment of Dana Bash of CNN last Sunday showed he is a dangerous demagogue, who must not be allowed to become a heartbeat away from the Presidency!

Donald Trump has given us a nightmare candidate in JD Vance, clearly the most dangerous and disgraceful nominee in modern history for the number two office, making Sarah Palin and Dan Quayle look far better!

Sense Of Optimism As Democratic National Convention Ends, With Exceptional Acceptance Speech Of Kamala Harris!

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There is a sense of optimism as the Democratic National Convention of 2024 adjourns.

After more inspiring speeches and presentations by a multitude of speakers on all kinds of issues that matter, Kamala Harris gave a memorable Acceptance Speech, making clear how “Presidential” she really is!

As Vice President, one never can easily make an impression that is noticed, and one can ask John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Van Buren, and George H. W. Bush, the only other “sitting” Vice Presidents who had the success of being elevated to the office of President to follow their “boss” by election.

Harris’s 20 year public career which began as a masterful prosecutor in San Francisco and later as the Attorney General of the largest state in the Union, so arguably the second most powerful Attorney General after the US Attorney General in Washington, DC, makes her highly significant.

Then as a probing US Senator questioning Trump Administration figures such as Attorney Generals Jeff Session and William Barr, and Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh, holding their “feet to the fire”, made her someone who clearly was principled to pursue justice and truth.

Harris has been underestimated, and also dismissed by misogynists who resent that a woman has the nerve to be aggressive in her pursuit of exposing evil in the criminal justice system and in American government.

Now that we see her out in the open, we are coming to realize how wonderful it was that Joe Biden selected her to be his “behind the scenes” Vice President, who gained lots of experience that we could not recognize openly, but now is ready to become President of the United States, and to bring Donald Trump to account in the 73 day campaign to follow until Election Day on November 5, 2024.

Harris and the Democratic Party have raised a half billion dollars in the past month; have had massive crowds everywhere that Harris and Tim Walz have appeared; and the momentum is on to bring about widespread Democratic victory all over the map in November!