Them Crazy Veeps: 5-4

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. (10 of 12)

#5 - Alben William Barkley (Seantor, Democrat-KY) 1949-1953 (1 full term) Pres: Truman

The perfect combination of Truman's horrid experience as VP and his supreme confidence in his running mate, he allowed Barkley to became one of the best in his position. Truman invited him to all cabinet meetings, made him a member of the NSC, and ordered the creation of a VP's coat of arms. Had he not been too old and rundown, he could have made a run at the White House. He was the first true 20th Century VP.

#4a - Adlai Ewing Stevenson (former Representative, Democrat-IL) 1893-1897 (1 full term) Pres: Cleveland

Stevenson absolutely loved being VP. At a time when both parties were split over the silver vs. gold standards, Stevenson was the impartial center of Senate debates. Even though he was pro-silver, he knew the president was pro-gold and handled himself accordingly. Had Cleveland died from a high invasive mouth surgery, we might just as well have gotten through it alright. Similar in style to Dallas, Stevenson gets extra points for doing it at a time when the executive branch was at its lowest in terms of influence. He got the ball rolling toward turning the vice presidency into what it is today.

#4 - Kamala Devi Harris (Senator, Democrat-CA) 2021-present Pres: Biden

The Vice Presidency is such an empty, undefined position that sometimes all it takes is one thing to skyrocket you up this list. After three and a half years of pretty solid, low key, behind the scenes, middle of the road veeping, Harris took over her aging president's re-election campaign. As of writing this, it's only July 2024, so this position jump is only based on her ability to seamlessly take over the ticket. A lot of the guys on the green side of this list tried to hold the White House after their president termed out, but this is the first time in history a sitting Vice President has taken over the campaign. Being the president's successor is part of the job, but actually taking over when the president becomes unable is her sole constitutional responsibility, and she has already done more of that than anyone on the list above her. I will, of course, update this in November. (NOTE: In order to not change my format completely, updates aren't getting new numbers. Kamala is one spot above Stevenson. For proper numbering, click the link at the bottom)

#5 - Spiro Theodore Agnew (Governor, Republican-MD) 1969-1973 (1 full term, resigned) Pres: Nixon

The placement of Agnew starts and ends with his resignation. Other factors include his relative lack of intelligence and overall buffoonery, but it takes a special kind of guy to have to resign to avoid being removed from office. We've discussed guys who were corrupt and avoided conviction, and next month, I'll tell you about a guy who beat treason charges, but Agnew was actually guilty. He was the first domino that ended in Nixon's resignation. Had it not been for the recently passed 25th Amendment, his crimes could have totally fucked the whole country.

#4 - John Cabell Breckinridge (Representative, Democrat-KY) 1857-1861 (1 full term) Pres: Buchanan

Buchanan never sought or welcomed the advice of young Breckinridge, who was elected at exactly 35. Buchanan snubbed his VP so bad, he left town for most of his term. Breckinridge wasn't a drunk or an idiot, and in his brief time presiding over the Senate, he spoke out strongly against secession. It's what he did with his position that ranks him so poorly. In 1960, he ran as a sitting VP on a platform not only of state's rights but for federal protection of slavery. During the war, he sided with the Confederacy, even serving in Jefferson Davis's cabinet. Seriously, fuck that guy.

Coming Up - The top 3

Later - John Breckinridge became a Southern cabinet member, how could the bottom 3 guys possibly be worse?

(Click here to view the whole list so far)