Them Crazy Veeps: 15-14

The Veeps are ranked and ready to go. Starting at the middle, as the green numbers get lower, the guys get better, but as the red numbers go down, we get into some crazy-ass mother-fuckers. (5 of 12)

#15 - James Schoolcraft Sherman (Representative, Republican-NY) 1909-1912 (died) Pres: Taft

Following Cleveland, McKinley, and Roosevelt, Taft was the weakest president in 30 years, and he relied heavily on Sherman to get his agenda done in Washington. Sherman's will was so strong, Senators resented his involvement in their affairs. After four years of hard work, Sherman died shortly before the 1912 election. It made no difference, Taft wasn't going to get re-elected.

#14 - Harry S Truman (Senator, Democrat-MO) 1945 (ascended) Pres: F. D. Roosevelt

In early 1945, no one could have guessed Truman would become one of the country's best presidents. Even though FDR knew he was going to die, he kept Truman out of the loop on everything, including the running of the biggest war, ever. Fortunately, we all know how the story ends, and that's enough to rank Truman this high.

#15 - Henry Wilson (Senator, Republican-MA) 1873-1875 (died) Pres: Grant

Wilson has just as many strikes against him as he has for him. He was implicated in the Credit Mobilier scandal, but when the corruption came out, he immediately returned everything he made from it. He opposed his own president, but he did so to support Reconstruction and end the spoils system. He might even have made a good president, had he not died before the end of his term. He belongs on this side of the list because no matter how little his involvement, he was definitely a part of the corruption in the Grant years.

#14 - Schuyler Colfax (Speaker/House, Republican-IN) 1869-1873 (1 term, dropped) Pres: Grant

Colfax was a complicated man. A staunch supporter of temperance, he accepted bribes far more easily than he accepted a drink. When the Credit Mobilier scandal became public, Colfax was the lightning rod. A pious man had been swept up by the corruption. By the 1880's, everyone else, including President Grant and Henry Wilson, had been totally forgiven, but not Colfax.

Coming Up - Who called the National Guard on a crowd of veterans?

Later - Which VP left Washington during a financial crisis to open a bar?