Them Crazy Veeps: 11-10

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. (7 of 12)

#11 - Gerald Rudolph Ford (House Minority Leader, Republican-MI) 1973-1974 (ascended) Pres: Nixon

The first VP appointed under the 25th Amendment, Ford came in under the unanimous insistence of the House. He barely had enough time to do anything in the office, as Nixon would resign only a few months later. He wasn't the best president, but if we're ranking ability to readily take over the presidency he gets a lot of credit.

#10 - Garret Augustus Hobart (Industrialist, Republican-NJ) 1897-1899 (died) Pres: McKinley

It's hard to imagine now, but before Hobart, presidents didn't really turn to their VPs for advice. Hobart was so powerful and influential, people called him, "Assistant to the President." I'd rank him higher, except he died before the end of his term.

#11b - Michael Richard Pence (Governor, Republican-IN) 2017-2021 (1 full term) Pres: Trump

This may be the hardest entry I’ve written. How does one Judge a Vice President’s performance in serving his president when the president he served was so destructive to the country. I went back and looked at my criteria and realized service to the country wasn’t on the list. Back when I started this, I never could have imagined that would even be a question. By all accounts, he had a stellar relationship with the president, but it clearly meant going against his Christian values and supporting the president over country. He did a stellar job of supporting the administration. He flat out lied and misled the American people in support of the president. He performed his duties with distinction, including leading the Coronavirus task force. Even though he didn’t do a good job at it, he did do precisely what the president wanted him to do. At the very end, he defied the president by not challenging the electoral vote count, and in maybe his most important moment as Veep, he circumvented the president by calling in the National Guard when a mob stormed the Capitol. On its face, he should be on the green side of the list, right up there with the best of them. Even though I swore I would keep politics out of this, I don’t think assessment of Trump’s presidency is purely political. He actively worked against the best interests of the country, in his own best interests. Pence was an accomplice in that, so I can’t in good conscience consider his Vice Presidency a success. He ranks this high on the bad side because he did a stellar job at undermining his own office. (NOTE: In order to not change my format completely, updates aren't getting new numbers. Kamala is one spot below Coolidge. For proper numbering, click the link at the bottom)

#11a - Richard Mentor Johnson (Representative, Democrat-KY) 1837-1841 (1 full term) Pres: Van Buren

Not only did Johnson have an affair with a slave, he wouldn't shut up about it. He even called her his common-law wife. He only ended up on the ticket because everyone believed he killed Tecumseh at the Battle of Tippicanoe, and that made him super popular. Van Buren didn't even want him. When the Panic of 1837  hit, he did what any responsible VP would do. He left Washington to open a tavern/spa. Van Buren was so pissed that in 1840, he just ran without a running mate.

#10 - Richard Bruce Cheney (Businessman, Republican-WY) 2001-2009 (2 full terms) Pres: G. W. Bush

If pressed, I'd say the only good Cheney accomplished was being so fucking insane, no one would dare assassinate or impeach the president. He was pro-war and pro-torture, and he used his influence over a weak-minded president to get his agenda accomplished. He exacted revenge on his enemies' wives, and he shot his own friend in the face. Oh yeah, and he almost died a couple of times. My God, can you imagine if he'd become president?

Coming Up - Which VP was inaugurated in another country?

Later - How many Vice Presidents went on to support the Confederacy?

(Click here to view the whole list so far)