It is quite possible that no elected office has been more historically maligned than the vice presidency of the United States. From the beginning of American politics the office has been the object of ridicule by scholars, pundits, humorists, citizens, and even vice presidents themselves. The perception among many is that institution and its occupants are at best irrelevant. Recent history would suggest otherwise, but as it stands no book exists that takes a detailed look at the new, impactful vice presidency thats been forged since Clinton/Gore took office. The American Vice Presidencyfills an important hole in the literature available to those interested in the modern vice presidency. Concise yet comprehensive, this book is the fullest and most accurate examination of the office to date, covering the origins and constitutional roots of the institution, its history, and the slow transformation of the office starting in the mid-twentieth century. Jody C Baumgartner and Thomas F. Crumblin highlight major changes in vice presidential selection as well as the new and various roles that vice presidents are being asked to play in their administrations. The book emphasizes the increasingly substantive Vice Presidencies of Gore, Cheney, and Biden and both informs and spurs the debate surrounding what form and role the Vice Presidency will take on moving forward.

Concise yet comprehensive, The American Vice Presidency is the fullest and most accurate examination of the office of the vice president to date, covering the origins and constitutional roots of the institution, its history, and the slow transformation of the office starting in the mid-twentieth century. Jody Baumgartner, an expert in vice presidential history, highlights major changes in vice presidential selection as well as the new and various roles that vice presidents are being asked to play in their administrations. The book devotes entire chapters to the increasingly substantive Vice Presidencies of Gore, Cheney, and Biden, respectively, and both informs and spurs the debate surrounding what form and role the Vice Presidency will take on moving forward.

Chapter 1. Introduction: The Vice PresidencyChapter 2. Origins: The Constitutional Convention& Pre-Twelfth Amendment Vice PresidentsChapter 3. The Traditional Era: Nineteenth Century Vice PresidentsChapter 4. Setting the Stage: Transitional Era Vice PresidentsChapter 5. The Rise of the Modern Vice PresidencyChapter 6. Vice Presidents in the Modern AgeChapter 7. Al Gore and the Gore-Clinton PartnershipChapter 8. Dick Cheney: George W. Bushs Loyal LieutenantChapter 9. Joe Biden: Barack Obamas HandymanChapter 10. Making Sense of it All: The Future of the Vice Presidency