Office of the Vice President

9 Stories

Harris Casts Historic Vote
Harris Casts Historic Vote
Jul 12, 2023 6:25 PM CDT

Harris Casts Historic Vote

It took John C. Calhoun much longer to record 31 tiebreakers

(Newser) - Kamala Harris, who made history as the first woman or person of color to serve as vice president, made history again Wednesday as she matched the record for most tiebreaking votes in the US Senate. The vote, her 31st, advanced the nomination of Kalpana Kotagal to the Equal Employment Opportunity...

Biden the Second Most Powerful Vice Prez

He's scaling back from Cheney, but a major player in his own right

(Newser) - Joe Biden is surely not as powerful as Dick Cheney was, writes James Traub. But because Cheney so radically expanded the office of vice president, Biden has been able to scale it back and still become arguably the second most powerful VP in history. Biden has no portfolio—he acts...

Arianna: Biden Should Resign Over Afghanistan
Arianna: Biden Should Resign Over Afghanistan
opinion
Oct 14, 2009 5:54 PM CDT

Arianna: Biden Should Resign Over Afghanistan

If Obama ramps up troops, the VP should quit on principle

(Newser) - Joe Biden should resign on principle if President Obama sends more troops to Afghanistan, writes Arianna Huffington. It's no secret Biden has "deep reservations" about ramping up the war effort there. "So if the president does decide to escalate, Biden, for the good of the country, should escalate...

Biden Plans to Shrink VP Power
 Biden Plans to Shrink VP Power 
Interview
Jan 15, 2009 10:05 AM CST

Biden Plans to Shrink VP Power

But he'll be 'the guy in the room'

(Newser) - Most vice presidents enter office wanting to grab power and make a name for themselves. Not Joe Biden. The VP-elect is determined to roll back Dick Cheney’s massive power grab, he tells the New York Times. Will that make him less effective? “The only value of power is...

Cheney Deserves Kick in the Shins: Dowd
Cheney Deserves
Kick in the Shins: Dowd
opinion
Jan 11, 2009 6:45 AM CST

Cheney Deserves Kick in the Shins: Dowd

'Vice is still on top'

(Newser) - Vice President Dick Cheney's guiding principle was "a theory of constitutional thuggishness" that set the tone for the administration's agenda—but he's refusing to take the blame for anything, writes Maureen Dowd in the New York Times. His insistence that he never called the shots, despite his "Darth...

Bidens Headed to VP Mansion to Meet Cheneys

VP-to-be will dine at Naval Observatory tomorrow to discuss transition

(Newser) - Vice President Dick Cheney and Vice President-elect Joe Biden are getting together tomorrow night to discuss the upcoming handoff of the job as the nation's second-in-command. Cheney spokeswoman Megan Mitchell says Cheney and his wife, Lynne, will host Biden and his wife, Jill, at their home.

His 'Bedrock Decency' Will Be Missed
 His 'Bedrock Decency' 
 Will Be Missed 
OPINION
Nov 8, 2008 2:31 PM CST

His 'Bedrock Decency' Will Be Missed

(Newser) - George W. Bush may not be judged kindly by history, but he was faithful, consistent, and above all compassionate, writes former White House official Jim Towey in the Wall Street Journal. It was “little acts behind the curtain” that “inspired intense loyalty by staff members." To those...

The Vice Presidency Must Go
 The Vice Presidency Must Go 
OPINION
Oct 2, 2008 4:57 PM CDT

The Vice Presidency Must Go

Founding fathers created institution in very different context

(Newser) - Few countries have vice presidents, and the US shouldn’t either, Bruce Ackerman writes in the LA Times. The founding fathers established the office as a consolation prize, the Yale law and political science professor explains, and it's morphed into a ticket-balancing slot. "This isn't a question on which...

Cheney Sued to Expose Secrets

Citizens group asks judge to order his records preserved for public access

(Newser) - A federal judge is being asked to prevent Dick Cheney from destroying or hiding what some believe are the administration's best kept secrets, reports the Washington Post. The advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics is calling for a court order to force the powerful vice president to preserve his...

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