Qualified to be Vice President?

Governor Palin, Republican nominee for Vice President recently said: "It's time that normal Joe Six-Pack American is finally represented in the position of vice presidency."

Although Joe Six-Pack American has many admirable qualities, including a commendable failure to be too clever by half, they do not include the knowledge and experience to serve as Vice President - let alone become President at a moment's notice.

Once, the risk of an unqualified Vice President becoming President might have been acceptable. Now, however, the Vice President, whose job was described by Vice President John Nance Garner (1933 - 1941) as 'not worth a bucket of warm piss', is a major power in the Federal Government. Current Vice President Richard Cheney's role is different only in degree, but not in kind, from his predecessors Walter Mondale, George H.W. Bush and Al Gore.

After reading Governor Palin's remark, two names came to mind: Judge G. Harrold Carswell and Senator Roman Hruska (R - NE).

And who are they?

Following President Nixon's 1970 nomination of Judge Carswell to serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (he was not confirmed), Senator Hruska, speaking on the Senate floor, defended Judge Carswell in the following terms:

"It has been held against this nominee that he is mediocre. Even if he is mediocre, there are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers. They are entitled to a little representation, aren't they? And a little chance? We can't have all Brandeises, Cardozos and Frankfurters and stuff like that there."

Governor Palin's experience resembles nothing so much, albeit without the gross corruption, as that of Vice President Spiro T. Agnew who served as Baltimore County Executive (equivalent to being a Mayor) and then two years as Governor of Maryland before being selected as President Nixon's running mate.

Let us hope for a better outcome this time.