Wait for It . . . Wait for It . . .

by Micah Tillman

John McCain is on his deathbed as we speak. If he even makes it to Election Day, he surely won't last much beyond. And that means you're not really voting for McCain.

Look closely at the ballot on November 4th. It won't say "McCain-Palin." It'll just say, "Palin."

Do you really feel comfortable voting someone only slightly more experienced than Obama straight into the Oval Office?

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The way people have been talking since last Friday, you'd think the VP's only job is to wait for the President to die. The VP is primarily an heir to the throne.

This makes me wonder: Were kings ever criticized for having heirs that were too young, too inexperienced?

"Your Highness! How could you sire an heir at your age!? Why, he's not even born yet! Do you see the danger you've put our country in by choosing such an unqualified successor!?"

Were queens supposed to deliver full-grown princes, complete with back-stories and foreign policy experience?

Were heirless kings who finally had a child criticized for putting the kingdom in danger? Were they supposed to give up the "natural" method of succession, and "arbitrarily" designate some duke or other as "heir-to-the-throne" (as soon as journalists decided the royal death was imminent)?

Maybe they were.

I, personally, had never thought about it till last Friday.

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What exactly is the VP's role, anyway? Is it just to sit around and wait for the President to pass? Is the Constitutional job description: "Heir to the Oval Office"?

As far as I can tell, the VP's constitutional role is to preside over the Senate. That's what she or he is supposed to do. That's the job description.

Why the title "Vice President" was given to the role of Senate President I'm not sure. Perhaps a constitutional scholar will inform me some day.

But from what I've heard over the last week, you'd think "Vice President" wasn't a role at all. You'd think it was just a designation for whoever will take over when the top guy croaks.

If that's what the VP was — if "VP" were short for "The Guy Who Waits in the Wings" — then she or he should have to be presidential.

Each "ticket," in other words, should contain two presidents, one of whom just happened to get listed at the top.

Reminds me of the finale of My Fellow Americans.

But is that what we think we do? Do we think we vote for two presidents: one lead, one alternate?

Do we judge a ticket based on whether our reaction to it is, "They'd make good presidents!"

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If the VP isn't the guy pacing back and forth in the East Wing (that would be the one to "wait in," right?) — if the VP has a job — then shouldn't people be asking whether candidates for the position are qualified for that job?

What does it take to be a good Senate President?

What does the Senate President do anyway?

What impact does a good Senate President have on the way Washington works?

What impact would a bad one have?

Surely it makes some difference who's holding the gavel.

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It did for Mr. Smith, anyway.

You all know the scene. Harry Carey's character has to choose between recognizing Smith or another Senator.

And, after a hesitation, he makes the right choice.

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In an election year so focused on change, wouldn't you want the person running the Senate to be someone other than just-another-Senator? Wouldn't you want someone more likely to be revolted — or at least surprised — by the games and maneuvers that must be commonplace in the Senate (if Washington really is as broken as I hear it is)?

Or do you want to shift Biden from his power seat on the Foreign Relations Committee to the Senate President's seat?

Which one is the change you want?

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Whatever you think about the relative merits of the Obiden and McPalin tickets, I think we can agree that it's simplistic to see a two-person ticket as only filling one role — that of (Potential) President.

And I think we can agree it would be nice if the would-be Senate Presidents would talk about their respective visions for the Senate.

Enough of the VP-as-President-in-Waiting narrative written by "journalists."

The Constitution is a better read.

Micah Tillman (micahtillman.com) is a lecturer in the School of Philosophy at The Catholic University of America.