How much weight do you place on a candidate's choice of VP running mate when making your voting decision?

Question

Obviously the VP is important since he/she is next in line to be Commander in Chief should anything happen to the President. But honestly, what has d**k Cheney done in office that will be memorable except for accidentally shooting someone while hunting?

Answer 1

Good question and very relevant for this space.

Most people don't really care about the bottom half of a ticket, but this year we q***r folk have a lot at at stake.

Sen. McCain's election would mean a continued war on us and our civil rights. It would also most certainly result in a generation-long hard-right majority on the Supreme Court.

But the V.P. pick counts more than usual this year.

John McCain is about 117 years old (he's even older than I), looks like h**l, and has recurring bouts with skin cancer. There's a good chance this woman from Alaska will be President if McCain is elected.

This woman from Alaska is the real deal for the phsyco-christians and right-wing nuts across the country. She actually believes the c**p she spews. She's dangerous, not only for us, but for the country.

Answer 2

Not much.

In my lifetime only one VP actually became President and he wasn't on the ticket (Ford was appointed VP after Agnew resigned).

It gives you a peek into the mindset of how a candidate weighs the political, the personal, and the administration of power.  But, only a peek.  The VP has no official duties except as delegated by the president.  They can be anything from Co-President to office manager to window dressing.  

So, mostly, it is a momentary diversion from the real focus of the election which is selecting the president.

Will people vote for a ticket because the VP is a women, black, Latino, g*y, etc, etc?  Of course, but they are only going to do so if they are already "okay" with the person who is going to get the big job.

Answer 3

It does matter who a presidential candidate selects as the VP running mate. after all, this is one of his/her first tests of judgment as being pres. Some VP's end up being influential, some end up being merely footnotes in history. but you have to remember, this person might end up leading the country if the president dies or cannot finish his term.  That person should reflect the Presidential candidates values and vision for the country.

Having said all that, i think VPs matter. especially if the president is old and has had cancer a few times.

Answer 4

I think it has about a 20% addition or retraction in my feelings toward a party.  In the case of Sarah Palin, she has only made me further believe that the Republican party is made up entirely of one of the following types:

- wealthy people who don't want to pay any taxes whatsoever

- rednecks

- bible thumpers

Answer 5

I tend to focus more on the issues, and both the running mates' answers and solutions.  I do think the Pres candidate is more important than the veep.  But with the Repugnicans running who they are, I can vote nothing other than Democrat, no matter who Obama has as veep.

Answer 6

I support traditional family values, the sanctity of marriage, the rights of the unborn and a return to our conservative Christian roots

Answer 7

a lot for me. i would not be voting for obama had it not been for biden. i would be voting third party. i do not like obama.

people who ask you questions like 'what does this have to do with, blah, blah, blah' are idiots. just ignore them.