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Bush, George W.

The Surprising Importance of Vice-Presidential Candidates in Elections

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A long-held assumption in politics is that vice-presidential candidates are irrelevant in presidential elections. However, with this year's presidential candidates lacking inspiration, voters are beginning to pay attention to their running mates. Both Al Gore and George W. Bush have chosen authentic human beings as their vice-presidential candidates, Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman, respectively. These candidates have unique qualities that make their roles crucial in this election, despite the lackluster presidential candidates.

Key Takeaways:

  • At least 75% of voters are locked-in Republicans or Democrats, but this year's election may be different due to dissatisfaction with the presidential candidates.
  • The vice-presidential candidates, Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman, are notable for being "authentic human beings" with opinions that are not dictated by pollsters.
  • They have expressed unpopular opinions and admitted to past mistakes, showcasing a level of intelligence and humanity absent in the presidential candidates.
  • The election for president may not be enough to bring voters to the polls, but the competition between Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman has added class and character to the campaign.
  • Joe Lieberman's nomination as the first Orthodox Jew for vice-president has drawn significant media attention, but his Religious background shares commonalities with Christianity.
  • The Chicago Sun-Times is accused of promoting the CBS-TV show "Survivor" through its coverage and Phil Rosenthal's guest appearances on WBBM-TV, potentially indicating a conflict of interest.

Statistics:

  • At least 75% of voters are locked-in Republicans or Democrats (no further context provided).
  • The number of voters dissatisfied with the presidential candidates is not quantified.
  • The level of intelligence and humanity displayed by Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman is subjective and not quantified.

Sources:

  • "Chicago Sun-Times" (newspaper)
  • "Survivor" (CBS-TV show)
  • Columbia Journalism Review

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