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Book Nook provides readers with insights into the world of books. Vick Mickunas takes you into the center of the publishing world with the latest book buzz, book reviews, and exclusive chats with authors..Home > Blogs > Book Nook > Archives > 2008 > December > 23 > Entry
the worst vice president ever ?
According to CNN:
“A new national poll suggests that almost a quarter of Americans think that Dick Cheney is the worst vice president in American history.”
“Twenty-three percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday say that Cheney is the country’s worst vice president, when compared with his predecessors.”
“An additional 41 percent feel that Cheney is a poor vice president, with 34 percent rating him a good number two.”
“Only one percent of those polled say that Cheney is the best vice president in U.S. history.”
Wow! Most Americans probably can’t even name more than 2 or 3 former vice presidents. Do you agree? Is Dick Cheney the worst ever?
Who would be your choice for our worst vice president ever? Please, leave a comment and the reasoning behind your choice.
P.S. If you didn’t get a chance to vote in our previous survey of the worst presidents ever you still can by clicking here:
(Note) This CNN poll surveyed “1,013 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey’s sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.”
Vick Mickunas
Permalink | Comments (23) | Post your comment | Categories: booms and busts
Comments
By vick
December 27, 2008 8:33 AM | Link to this
With all due respect, most people probably cannot name more than 9 or 10 PRESIDENTS. A lot of Americans cannot even locate Iraq on a map. That is exactly why this exercise is a good idea. Perhaps some of us might learn something from our fellow commenters that we did not know before? This type of exercise is meant to have an educational component; you don’t know more that 2 VP’s? OK, here are some others….By J. Thomas Albert
December 26, 2008 11:24 PM | Link to this
I agree that since most people cannot name more than perhaps 9 or 10 vice presidents, such a poll has little worth. However, I would respect a poll that shows that Cheney is the most distrusted VP in the memories of the participants.By vick
December 26, 2008 5:07 PM | Link to this
One excellent way to assess VP’s is to study history. If we look back through the lens one historian’s view or another’s we can draw our own conclusions. Ike’s VP went on to become my favorite President. Historians relate that Eisenhower could not stand his VP, Tricky Dick Nixon. To paraphrase Ike, somebody asked him near the end of his second term to identify some aspect of Nixon’s performance that had impressed Eisenhower. Ike said something along the lines of; if you give me enough time then maybe I can think of something. Eisenhower loathed Nixon. Speaking of Nixon, I still think his VP was the worst. Here’s another quote from the little bird who thought he was an eagle, Spiro: ” Dick Nixon is not going to get involved in any sideshow.” (Spiro T. Agnew/ Oct. 15, 1968).By flipper
December 26, 2008 4:49 PM | Link to this
How can any of you make an informed judgment since no one was alive in the 1700s, 1800s or even most of the 1900s. So all of them were really great, I suppose. Study up, people, before making these rash statements.By Mad Mike
December 26, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this
Vice Presidents are primarily known for doing nothing…Cheney sort of broke that mold so he has become a lightning rod for the public to comment on. Before we pick on all the GOP Veeps, let’s take a look at some of the Dems’ picks of the past few decades. Al Gore: Before he was scaring the world by showing polar bears dying on chunks of icebergs, he was known as one of the biggest bores ever to hold the VP office. AND, a huge “do nothing”. Walter “Fritz” Mondale: Carter was bad, but did Mondale even do anything? Hubert Humphrey: “Whatever became of Hubert?” ‘Nuff said. LBJ: Wasn’t his fault that he inherited the office of the Presidency or a war, so I won’t comment on his effectiveness. Before that, we have to go all the way back to HST, and since no one today can even remember who Eisenhower’s VP was, there’s no point in going on. The bottom line is that VPs in general aren’t supposed to do anything. We finally have one who does and look what happens. We can only hope that Joe Biden returns to the status quo, because that dude is scary. And for all of you still picking on Sarah Palin? Get over it! You won and she lost so leave her alone and let her get back to her relatively meaningless life in Alaska. Well, it may be meaningless, but at least she’s accomplished more than any of you ever will…By vick
December 24, 2008 7:51 PM | Link to this
“Mr. Cheney has been less diplomatic. Like Mr. Bush, he has praised Mr. Obama for keeping Robert M. Gates as defense secretary. But on “Fox News Sunday” this week, Mr. Cheney shot back at Mr. Biden for calling him “the most dangerous vice president in history.” And asked by The Washington Times for his advice for Mr. Obama, Mr. Cheney talked of the importance of personnel decisions, then volunteered, “Senator Clinton as secretary of state — I would never pick her to be my secretary of state.” (The New York Times-Dec. 24, 2008)By vick
December 24, 2008 2:51 PM | Link to this
Wow, Schuyler Colfax, eh? That’s a name we don’t hear very often. Agnew still gets my vote. Mr. Nolo Contendre said this: “Sometimes you feel like a 3-pound hen trying to lay a 4-pound egg.” (Spiro T. Agnew/ Mar. 15, 1969).By ron
December 24, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this
oh, come on… ridiculous… cheney may be evil, but he has been very effective, and redefined the possibilities of what has usually been an un-used office, picking up on Gore starting to do same. Between them, they have actually made something of the office; Obama’s plans for Biden suggest he has realized this and plans to continue the trend, which is a good thing. Past guys? Schuyler Colfax, Grant’s guy, was hugely corrupt and dragged down the whole administration. John Breckinridge, Buchanan’s guy, actually became a Confederate major general… Agnew? sheesh, he has to on any such list. There was one guy who never actually served, but died while in exile out of the country and was never replaced, the office was so worthless… back in the 1830s, forget his name… folks should stop assuming the events of the last two years are always the most interesting and important of all time, regardless of which two years they’re in … good grief…By irishguy
December 24, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this
Vick, Wow, ol’ Spiro sounds like a socialist or commie with that line. They’re the ones that preach about “the common good” and want to discourage individualism. It was the 60’s, you suppose he was smoking something? I think most folks would say individual freedom is one of the strenghs of a democratic society.By Jay
December 24, 2008 11:57 AM | Link to this
Where’s the poll for worst president? Dropping the ball on the leader of world terrorism because he lied to get us in another war, torture, illegal wiretaps, the environment, Big Oil, Big Business, banking, the list goes on and on. Don’t they hear about these things in Donnelsville?By Figliano
December 24, 2008 11:47 AM | Link to this
In most situations people tend to say that anything recent is the “best/worst/most” in history; recency and familiarity skews perception. Remember when Jim Thorpe was the greatest athlete of the 20th century? Not many do. That being said, I DO believe Cheney is the worst VP of all time. He combines the idiocy of Quayle with the criminality of Agnew, with a huge dose of elitism and egotism. Hands down the worst in my lifetime, anyway.By vick
December 24, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this
OK, here’s another: “Democracy’s greatest flaw rests in its intransigent commitment to individual freedom.” (Spiro T. Agnew/ June 6, 1969).By irishguy
December 24, 2008 11:17 AM | Link to this
Vick, gotta love those Spiro quotes! Lea, I’d have to say Quayle was also a “victim” if you will, of the Media. The “potatoe” incident was just the spelling Danford read off a card the school officals handed him. It was portrayed as his mistake in the media. He was also ridiculed over his “Murphy Brown” speech in which he was basicly mouring the decline of two parent households. Not to mention the “you’re no Jack Kennedy” line. I may have nominate Gore for his illegal fundraising in a Buddist temple. Still don’t know how those poor monks coughed up a couple of hundred thousand bucks! I don’t recall Quayle being accused of any shady behavior.By Lea
December 24, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this
THe about-to-be-history veep is always going to be the worst. People don’t really compare Cheney with the past - how can they? I was born during the Ford administration and don’t remember anything before that, so I can only compare with what I know. Quayle gets my vote. Potatoes, anyone?By vick
December 24, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this
Thanks, Irish. And Agnew was so darned quotable! Here’s another: ” I didn’t indicate I spoke from any personal knowledge.” (Spiro T. Agnew/ Oct. 25, 1968) and one more: “I’ll go all over the country and play golf for Nixon if he wants me to.” (spiro T. Agnew/Sept. 3, 1968).By irishguy
December 24, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this
Wow, I think Prose needs to take a deep breath after that post! “Evil Incarnate” may be a bit over the top. I think history will be kinder to Bush/Cheney than the current media has been. I’m not too familar with the Veeps (who is) but I seem to recall Agnew had to resign over some sort of “milk scandal”. Even thought I always got a kick out of “the nattering nabobs of negitivism” quote, I’d vote for Spiro. I’m guessing there may well be more deserving canidates out there under my radar.By vick
December 23, 2008 11:32 PM | Link to this
tsk tsk, Time. You keep going for double jeopardy. LBJ was a VP who became president. So was Tricky Dick. Look at Nixon’s VP: Spiro Agnew said: “I’m no expert on foreign policy.” (Jan. 7, 1969). Sounding familiar? I can see Russia from here….By DonnelsvilleGuy
December 23, 2008 9:51 PM | Link to this
Juding leaders by current events is often a mistake - looking back 50 years from now, Cheney will be seen as a genius and indeed the Bush presidency will look absolutely like an apex compared to what followed it. 100 years from now, I think our top Presidents of all time will be Lincoln, Washington, Reagan and Bush. At the bottom, well, there will plenty of worthy candidates!!By time
December 23, 2008 9:03 PM | Link to this
Alright Vick ! You win. The worst VP ever? Sarah Palin. Admittedly she’s not gonna fill that seat, but her unique budget solutions - let the person who’s raped pay for the evidence kit- ranks her ahead of the rank amateurs like Cheney or Quail. Seriously though - what ever became of dear Hubert? And how about that bomb throwing communist Mr. Wallace? We could even really roil up the waters and mention one of our less distinguished VP’s Mr. Nixon…remember his triumphal ride in South America?By vick
December 23, 2008 5:31 PM | Link to this
LBJ?! C’mon, Time…Spiro Agnew is still way below anybody else. After all, it was Spiro T. Agnew who said: ” Alaska is squarely in the mainstream of American life.” (Oct. 6, 1968)By time
December 23, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
How about Lyndon? He lost the south for a generation and we’re still dealing with that! Vietnam, the war on drugs, the debasing of our currency, that ballot box in Texas, even his inhumane treatment of beagles. I mean, come on, the guy was a pitcher of warm spit.By prose
December 23, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this
I witnessed the “nattering nabobs of negativism” debacle at Drake University. Spiro was bad, he even defended the shootings at Kent State but, Cheney to me is evil incarnate. An unrepentant believer in Stalinist tactics of government, and a destroyer of nearly everything and everyone he comes into contact with. I can only surmise his virtual absence from the national scene over the past months was spent planning for his relocation to Dubai. With Haliburton’s new headquarters there and no extradition treaty with the U.S., it seems a likely destination for this meglomaniacal fascist. His picture should be on a wanted poster for murder, treason and many assorted felonies and crimes against humanity. Several patriots tried to make a citizen’s arrest against him when he last was in Des Moines, IA. Of course, these citizen’s were themselves arrested for their patriotism. However, in the spirit of the holiday season I pray for him, his victims and his next hunting partners.By vick
December 23, 2008 1:28 PM | Link to this
Spiro Agnew gets my vote…remember him?