What powers do vice presidents actually have? Why are campaign running mates so important to voters?

Aside from acting as president of the Senate (casting a tie-breaking vote) and a successor if the President cannot serve out the elected term, the U.S. Constitution grants NO executive or legislative powers to the vice president.





Really, WHY is the media (and plenty of you all) voicing so much concern over the two VP nominees? It doesn't appear that they actually have much influence in office, or do they?What powers do vice presidents actually have? Why are campaign running mates so important to voters?
Really good question. So in spite of all the hooplay, NONE of Palin's personal traits are relevant--or Biden's either.





What we should be asking is whether, during a time of EXTREME vulnerability (created by the death of a president), the VP has the knowledge, judgment and temperament to step in a steady the country.





This is why we keep saying ';it's scary.'; It's nothing personal. The fat is that, as Obama realized, an older, seasoned and FAMILIAR individual--even one who does not carry the ';change'; mantle to satisfy a political need--is an absolute MUST if something happens to the president.





This is why is it somewhere between laughable and cry-able that McCain chose Palin. Country first? Who is he kidding. In such times as the death of a president, someone who needs ';propping up'; and ';prepping'; is NOT going to make us feel secure. A newcomer to the scene is NOT what the country needs in a VP--a president CAN be a newcomer because he has time to get up to speed before the country--the country is NOT in desparate need during the transition from one president to another, if only because the old president is still in place.





Oh, how I wish people would/will realize this! It's also the reason why our system works so well--we DO ';vet'; our most important leaders. We know they won't do irrational things in times of strife--or we are pretty sure we think we know. It was so unfair, so irresponsible for McCain to thrust Palin upon our populace, knowing how gullible some folks can be and how vulnerable an entire country (and its financial markets and its military and its infrastructure and its administration) can be when someone unexpected and threatening happens.





NO ONE wants an unknown when things go crazy. Like him or not, you can't deny Biden is a known quantity. (And Obama, having been ';vetted'; by the electoral process, is also not anywhere near as unknown as Palin, not that that is relevant in this particular discussion.)





There are Republican congressmen and women who are not going to vote for McCain for this very reason--it's the safety and security of the country that is at stake. It's appalling that McCain would put the country at risk just to get elected. You can't ';known'; a candidate from one interview, much less from one speech. It's madness.What powers do vice presidents actually have? Why are campaign running mates so important to voters?
It is especially crucial this time around, as McCain is the OLDEST ever to run !!





So if turning over the Presidency to an amatuer is NOT important, what is?








I did however enjoy Karl Rove tell America that Obama would be showing his inexperience as a CEO to select the former Mayor of Richmond VA as a Vice Presidential candidate because Richmond is SO small (105th largest city in USA) and he has only been Governor not even ONE full term


BUT


Hailing Sarah Palin as a wise choice and her experience is not even CLOSE to being that of the Virginia governor


Palin mayor of less than 10,000


governor (less than one term ) of the state that ranks 47th out of the 50 in size !!








Funny how these Republicans speak out of





BOTH SIDES OF THEIR MOUTHS






mcSame is perpetrating a fraud with Palin. He's asking us to gamble with his high risk decision. He saying trust him that even though he's had serious health problems Palin will never be a problem. Most prudent people would say that the gamble is not worth the risk. It's what's wrong with a maverick. He choose her strictly to play gender politics. He knows she not in any way qualified to be POTUS. People are shocked at this. So that's why.
You answered your own question as far as I see it. They become the next President if something was to happen to a sitting President.