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Eleven Three Twenty: Three Things to Look for in Tonight’s VP Debate
October 7, 2020
Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Vice President for his first two terms was a colorful Texan named John Nance Garner who famously claimed that the role of VP “wasn’t worth a bucket of warm spit” (or “piss,” depending on which source you believe).
While that may have been true in the 1930s and early 1940s, the role has transformed over the years. Most modern Vice Presidents now are seen as a key advisor/trusted confident, and they often lead the high-visibility programs or task forces that are central to their administration’s vision for the country. (For example, former President Barack Obama relied heavily on Joe Biden’s advice while in the White House, and Vice President Pence is leading the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force.)
In 2020, the role of the Vice Presidential candidates looms even larger. After all, the incumbent is an obese 74-year-old who has recently contracted a virus that has killed over 210,000 Americans. While the challenger is 77 years old and regularly faces questions about his mental and physical stamina for the office. So, the old cliche of “a heartbeat away” is a distinct possibility at some point over the next four years.
Consequently, I think tonight’s debate in Utah (9:00 PM Eastern) between Vice…
