[Music]
you know what they say first is the
worst second is the best but I continue
to believe the best candidate might be
sitting next to me welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top 10 best US
vice presidents of the Democratic Party
for this list we’re taking a look at
every veep in history and considering
how well they filled the role in terms
of what they did on the campaign trail
what they accomplished in office how
they complemented the president and more
I don’t think men running for their
lives will be encouraged by firing their
commander now in the middle of the
battle number 10 Gerald Ford for
confirmation as the Vice President of
the United States congressman Gerald
Ford of Michigan Ford had it tough from
day one amid Spiro Agnew’s tax evasion
and money laundering scandals President
Richard Nixon had to select a vice
president that would both calm the
country’s nerves and re-establish
confidence Ford filled this role
admirably as the Republican was
relatively admired on both sides of the
political spectrum I’m a Ford not a
Lincoln while the Watergate scandal was
already in full swing when Ford was
sworn in as VP in December 1973 things
worsened considerably following his
appointment as evidence mounted against
Nixon Ford was assigned the near
impossible task of staying above the
fray he did so gracefully ultimately
stepping up when called upon to replace
Nixon as president in August 1974 Vice
President Ford will be sworn in as
president at that hour in this office
number nine John Adams
the vice president of Duke the brain
shrink and come in second exit the very
first vice president of the United
States Adams was tasked with
establishing the role true he was not
consulted particularly often by then
President George Washington and their
views may have actually contradicted
each other in some cases however Adams
was a highly influential VP in his
capacity as president of the Senate
avoid any hostilities or any show
support America must be beholden to no
one neither England nor France the
Senate’s official government website
confirms that Adams cast the most time
breaking votes in history with roughly
thirty separate votes the vote still
stands at 15 in favor 15 against with
such decision-making power
Adams was able to heavily influence the
country’s policies during his time in
office he must have done something right
the American people later elected him
president a job he held from 1797 to
1801 ie vote for ratification number
eight Joe Biden and I watch this guy I
watch him make incredibly difficult
decisions in in incredible crises and
you’ll learn the character and the
mettle of a man
unlike many vice presidents who have a
ceremonial relationship with the
president but do not take an active role
in his decision-making process Jill
Biden acted as a serious advisor to
President Barack Obama
we are absolutely thoroughly convinced
and optimistic about the prospects of
this country it’s reported that Biden
purposefully provided opposing views to
the presidents so all perspectives were
represented when choices were made every
morning I’ve gotten up and I’ve had some
policy concerns not my mind that is able
to work on trying to change things he
was active in government heading the gun
violence task force and overseeing
infrastructure spending in Obama’s
stimulus package what’s more he helped
pass the American Taxpayer Relief Act of
2012 and championed reauthorization of
his own Violence Against Women Act if
women were the same percentage of
workplace not even equal pay just same
percentage of workplace the total GDP
would be 28 trillion dollars greater
Biden’s popularity can’t be understated
and in the early 21st centuries
political climate that’s some
accomplishment
that’s the unbreakable spirit of the
people of America that’s who we are
number seven Dick Cheney in addition to
gravitas and experience Dick Cheney was
an effective campaigner starting at the
nominating convention some would argue
that Dick Cheney was the real brains
behind the second Bush administration a
few weeks ago Dick Cheney says he thinks
I’m the worst president of his lifetime
which is interesting because I think
Dick Cheney is the worst president of my
lifetime whether or not that’s true
is debatable but what isn’t is the fact
that the 46th vice president of the
United States was a key player in the
White House from 2001 to 2009 bringing
with him the foreign policy expertise W
lacked in the immediate aftermath of
9/11 Cheney spearheaded the
anti-terrorism movement by asserting
that Iraq had WMDs claiming links
between al-qaeda and Saddam Hussein
seeing to the use of purported quote
enhanced interrogation techniques and by
coordinating the war on terror the
Iranians have been very active over the
years pursuing the title they bear as
the world’s worst state sponsor of
terror and all of that’s been going on
now for a long time before we got
involved however perhaps his greatest
accomplishment was balancing the anti
intellectual accusations leveled at
president george w bush loyalty was a
lifelong principle of Cheney’s number-6
harry s truman it’s hard to accomplish
anything as vice president in 82 days
unfortunately that was all the time
harry truman had before being thrust
into the Oval Office upon Franklin
Delano Roosevelt’s death on April 12th
1945 Allen VP’s only got to duty senator
getting you know accounts prayed over
every morning the Senate and God knows
you need it I’m going to funerals before
that time however Truman
was given a tough task in a position he
didn’t necessarily want and basically
shut out of Roosevelt’s administration
the so-called Forgotten man had to make
his mark in the Senate with the end of
World War two in sight
Truman tried his best to position the
country for life after war as
second-in-command and what a life that
was it was a mighty responsibility but
pretty soon he was called on to serve
his country from a higher office and I’m
more than happy to be here and to stay
here for the rest of my life number five
Al Gore we know this works if it doesn’t
work you know we give six months notice
and we’re out of it unlike many other
vice presidential candidates Al Gore
didn’t necessarily balance out running
mate Bill Clinton he more or less
mirrored him it worked to great effect
however as the country became enamored
with their work as a cohesive dynamic
duo still on his own Vice President Gore
established himself as a leader
concerned with the environment and
Technology many commend his emphasis on
technology as an integral part of the
dot-com boom and the ensuing success of
the US economy and of course one cannot
understate Gore’s contribution to global
environmental awareness his role in
heightening awareness and establishing
active initiatives to reverse climate
change continues to prove important but
this new power that we have also brings
a responsibility to think about its
consequences
number four lyndon b johnson we have to
come up with some kind of plan our
incentive to perfect our democracy while
his tenure as president of the united
states has been highly scrutinized
lyndon johnson’s time as vice president
is largely recognized as successful as
he was instrumental in increasing the
responsibilities ascribed to the post
most
a decent home and a decent neighborhood
for all and so do I history books
suggest Johnson’s relationship with the
Kennedy brothers was strained so
basically to keep him out of their way
the VP was named head of the President’s
Committee on equal employment
opportunities it was here that Johnson
established his legacy as his work on
the committee served as the foundation
for his role in passing civil rights
legislation as president
LBJ also convinced JFK to put a man on
the moon which also importantly came to
fruition no single space project in this
period will be more impressive to
mankind
number three Richard Nixon listen I
don’t want a president who’s warm on the
outside and warm on the inside to
Johnson’s presidency may have been
scrutinized but there’s no beating the
controversy elicited by President
Richard Nixon even so his work as vice
president was impressive called quote
the first modern Vice President Nixon
held an advanced advisor role in Dwight
D Eisenhower’s administration attending
cabinet and National Security Council
meetings when Eisenhower suffered a
heart attack in 1955 and was out of
commission for six weeks
Nixon filled in seamlessly it takes
quite a sec t’v speech may I say to come
across his lasting legacy as VP however
was his work abroad Nixon established
strong bonds with various foreign
countries especially China also
memorable was his time in the USSR where
he famously debated Soviet premier
Nikita Khrushchev on the advantages of
capitalism versus communism there may be
some instances for example about our
television where we’re ahead of you
number 2 Walter Mondale Mondale’s name
may not be the most memorable on this
list especially considering he served
under one term President Jimmy Carter
nonetheless he’s widely regarded as one
of the most important vice presidents in
America’s history because of how he
changed the role and what did you do
right after the election you went out
and tried to cut twenty billion dollars
out of Medicare originally the veep was
essentially a figurehead many VP’s on
this
had to work very hard in the Senate to
make an impact but mondale directly
worked with the president he was the
first with an office in the White House
the first to receive the same
intelligence briefings as the president
and the first to engage in weekly
lunches with the commander-in-chief only
since Mondale has the vice president
held any real power at that time it was
it was fairly easy to put together
coalition’s before we unveil our number
one pick here are some honorable
mentions number one Theodore Roosevelt a
rugged cowboy with a love of political
Reformation Teddy Roosevelt followed an
interesting trajectory to the vice
presidency popular with his constituency
as governor of New York but not with the
state’s Republicans Roosevelt was named
as William McKinley’s vice presidential
candidate ostensibly to get him out of
New York politics and into a job that
had very little power or influence you
think of Jefferson as America’s
Renaissance man but it’s really
Roosevelt however true to his nature
Teddy proved he had both those
attributes by campaigning extensively
for McKinley nationwide making almost
500 stops in 23 states his famous energy
lit up the campaign trail and was a
major factor in the Republicans winning
the election it also proved valuable
when Roosevelt was forced to replace
McKinley as president following his
assassination TR thought the President
to do anything the nation required
unless forbidden by the Constitution or
the law he was an activist like this
country had never seen and that’s why
they call him the first modern president
do you agree with our list who do you
think was the best vice president I will
write to the Congress and demand
my immediate recall for more political
top 10s published every day be sure to
subscribe to watchmojo.com
[Applause]
[Music]
you know what they say first is the
worst second is the best but I continue
to believe the best candidate might be
sitting next to me welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top 10 best US
vice presidents of the Democratic Party
for this list we’re taking a look at
every veep in history and considering
how well they filled the role in terms
of what they did on the campaign trail
what they accomplished in office how
they complemented the president and more
I don’t think men running for their
lives will be encouraged by firing their
commander now in the middle of the
battle number 10 Gerald Ford for
confirmation as the Vice President of
the United States congressman Gerald
Ford of Michigan Ford had it tough from
day one amid Spiro Agnew’s tax evasion
and money laundering scandals President
Richard Nixon had to select a vice
president that would both calm the
country’s nerves and re-establish
confidence Ford filled this role
admirably as the Republican was
relatively admired on both sides of the
political spectrum I’m a Ford not a
Lincoln while the Watergate scandal was
already in full swing when Ford was
sworn in as VP in December 1973 things
worsened considerably following his
appointment as evidence mounted against
Nixon Ford was assigned the near
impossible task of staying above the
fray he did so gracefully ultimately
stepping up when called upon to replace
Nixon as president in August 1974 Vice
President Ford will be sworn in as
president at that hour in this office
number nine John Adams
the vice president of Duke the brain
shrink and come in second exit the very
first vice president of the United
States Adams was tasked with
establishing the role true he was not
consulted particularly often by then
President George Washington and their
views may have actually contradicted
each other in some cases however Adams
was a highly influential VP in his
capacity as president of the Senate
avoid any hostilities or any show
support America must be beholden to no
one neither England nor France the
Senate’s official government website
confirms that Adams cast the most time
breaking votes in history with roughly
thirty separate votes the vote still
stands at 15 in favor 15 against with
such decision-making power
Adams was able to heavily influence the
country’s policies during his time in
office he must have done something right
the American people later elected him
president a job he held from 1797 to
1801 ie vote for ratification number
eight Joe Biden and I watch this guy I
watch him make incredibly difficult
decisions in in incredible crises and
you’ll learn the character and the
mettle of a man
unlike many vice presidents who have a
ceremonial relationship with the
president but do not take an active role
in his decision-making process Jill
Biden acted as a serious advisor to
President Barack Obama
we are absolutely thoroughly convinced
and optimistic about the prospects of
this country it’s reported that Biden
purposefully provided opposing views to
the presidents so all perspectives were
represented when choices were made every
morning I’ve gotten up and I’ve had some
policy concerns not my mind that is able
to work on trying to change things he
was active in government heading the gun
violence task force and overseeing
infrastructure spending in Obama’s
stimulus package what’s more he helped
pass the American Taxpayer Relief Act of
2012 and championed reauthorization of
his own Violence Against Women Act if
women were the same percentage of
workplace not even equal pay just same
percentage of workplace the total GDP
would be 28 trillion dollars greater
Biden’s popularity can’t be understated
and in the early 21st centuries
political climate that’s some
accomplishment
that’s the unbreakable spirit of the
people of America that’s who we are
number seven Dick Cheney in addition to
gravitas and experience Dick Cheney was
an effective campaigner starting at the
nominating convention some would argue
that Dick Cheney was the real brains
behind the second Bush administration a
few weeks ago Dick Cheney says he thinks
I’m the worst president of his lifetime
which is interesting because I think
Dick Cheney is the worst president of my
lifetime whether or not that’s true
is debatable but what isn’t is the fact
that the 46th vice president of the
United States was a key player in the
White House from 2001 to 2009 bringing
with him the foreign policy expertise W
lacked in the immediate aftermath of
9/11 Cheney spearheaded the
anti-terrorism movement by asserting
that Iraq had WMDs claiming links
between al-qaeda and Saddam Hussein
seeing to the use of purported quote
enhanced interrogation techniques and by
coordinating the war on terror the
Iranians have been very active over the
years pursuing the title they bear as
the world’s worst state sponsor of
terror and all of that’s been going on
now for a long time before we got
involved however perhaps his greatest
accomplishment was balancing the anti
intellectual accusations leveled at
president george w bush loyalty was a
lifelong principle of Cheney’s number-6
harry s truman it’s hard to accomplish
anything as vice president in 82 days
unfortunately that was all the time
harry truman had before being thrust
into the Oval Office upon Franklin
Delano Roosevelt’s death on April 12th
1945 Allen VP’s only got to duty senator
getting you know accounts prayed over
every morning the Senate and God knows
you need it I’m going to funerals before
that time however Truman
was given a tough task in a position he
didn’t necessarily want and basically
shut out of Roosevelt’s administration
the so-called Forgotten man had to make
his mark in the Senate with the end of
World War two in sight
Truman tried his best to position the
country for life after war as
second-in-command and what a life that
was it was a mighty responsibility but
pretty soon he was called on to serve
his country from a higher office and I’m
more than happy to be here and to stay
here for the rest of my life number five
Al Gore we know this works if it doesn’t
work you know we give six months notice
and we’re out of it unlike many other
vice presidential candidates Al Gore
didn’t necessarily balance out running
mate Bill Clinton he more or less
mirrored him it worked to great effect
however as the country became enamored
with their work as a cohesive dynamic
duo still on his own Vice President Gore
established himself as a leader
concerned with the environment and
Technology many commend his emphasis on
technology as an integral part of the
dot-com boom and the ensuing success of
the US economy and of course one cannot
understate Gore’s contribution to global
environmental awareness his role in
heightening awareness and establishing
active initiatives to reverse climate
change continues to prove important but
this new power that we have also brings
a responsibility to think about its
consequences
number four lyndon b johnson we have to
come up with some kind of plan our
incentive to perfect our democracy while
his tenure as president of the united
states has been highly scrutinized
lyndon johnson’s time as vice president
is largely recognized as successful as
he was instrumental in increasing the
responsibilities ascribed to the post
most
a decent home and a decent neighborhood
for all and so do I history books
suggest Johnson’s relationship with the
Kennedy brothers was strained so
basically to keep him out of their way
the VP was named head of the President’s
Committee on equal employment
opportunities it was here that Johnson
established his legacy as his work on
the committee served as the foundation
for his role in passing civil rights
legislation as president
LBJ also convinced JFK to put a man on
the moon which also importantly came to
fruition no single space project in this
period will be more impressive to
mankind
number three Richard Nixon listen I
don’t want a president who’s warm on the
outside and warm on the inside to
Johnson’s presidency may have been
scrutinized but there’s no beating the
controversy elicited by President
Richard Nixon even so his work as vice
president was impressive called quote
the first modern Vice President Nixon
held an advanced advisor role in Dwight
D Eisenhower’s administration attending
cabinet and National Security Council
meetings when Eisenhower suffered a
heart attack in 1955 and was out of
commission for six weeks
Nixon filled in seamlessly it takes
quite a sec t’v speech may I say to come
across his lasting legacy as VP however
was his work abroad Nixon established
strong bonds with various foreign
countries especially China also
memorable was his time in the USSR where
he famously debated Soviet premier
Nikita Khrushchev on the advantages of
capitalism versus communism there may be
some instances for example about our
television where we’re ahead of you
number 2 Walter Mondale Mondale’s name
may not be the most memorable on this
list especially considering he served
under one term President Jimmy Carter
nonetheless he’s widely regarded as one
of the most important vice presidents in
America’s history because of how he
changed the role and what did you do
right after the election you went out
and tried to cut twenty billion dollars
out of Medicare originally the veep was
essentially a figurehead many VP’s on
this
had to work very hard in the Senate to
make an impact but mondale directly
worked with the president he was the
first with an office in the White House
the first to receive the same
intelligence briefings as the president
and the first to engage in weekly
lunches with the commander-in-chief only
since Mondale has the vice president
held any real power at that time it was
it was fairly easy to put together
coalition’s before we unveil our number
one pick here are some honorable
mentions number one Theodore Roosevelt a
rugged cowboy with a love of political
Reformation Teddy Roosevelt followed an
interesting trajectory to the vice
presidency popular with his constituency
as governor of New York but not with the
state’s Republicans Roosevelt was named
as William McKinley’s vice presidential
candidate ostensibly to get him out of
New York politics and into a job that
had very little power or influence you
think of Jefferson as America’s
Renaissance man but it’s really
Roosevelt however true to his nature
Teddy proved he had both those
attributes by campaigning extensively
for McKinley nationwide making almost
500 stops in 23 states his famous energy
lit up the campaign trail and was a
major factor in the Republicans winning
the election it also proved valuable
when Roosevelt was forced to replace
McKinley as president following his
assassination TR thought the President
to do anything the nation required
unless forbidden by the Constitution or
the law he was an activist like this
country had never seen and that’s why
they call him the first modern president
do you agree with our list who do you
think was the best vice president I will
write to the Congress and demand
my immediate recall for more political
top 10s published every day be sure to
subscribe to watchmojo.com
[Applause]
[Music]
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