Tag Archives: Journalism

From afterthought to mentor: Exploring the evolution and significance of the vice presidency

The New York Times Chief White House Correspondent Peter Baker speaks at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)



By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


The New York Times Chief White House Correspondent and MSNBC political analyst Peter Baker recently visited Grand Rapids to talk about an element of our constitutional leadership that often goes unnoticed – the vice presidency.

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is celebrating its 50th anniversary (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Renowned for his incisive journalism and extensive first-hand knowledge of presidential administrations, Baker presented his journalistic view on the evolving role of the vice presidency at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum on April 23. “Covering the Vice Presidency: Lessons Learned on the Road” brought insight to a role deemed by one historian as the resting place for mediocrity.

The first vice president, John Adams, defined his role as “…the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.”

But while those who hold the office of vice president may feel their job lacks significance, Baker believes understanding the often underrated role is more important than many people realize.

“It definitely is more important than people recognize,” said Baker. “We collectively ought to know more about our vice presidents because, in fact, a large number of them ultimately become president. Either because of the vacancy in the office or because they run for the office later.”

​​Baker continued, ”Aside from being next in line to the presidency, the office of the vice presidency has evolved a lot in modern times. It’s evolved a lot in the last few decades into a much more substantive and significant role.”

A useless appendage

Since our country was founded, vice presidents have struggled to find a foothold in the political realm.

With the office of vice president more of an afterthought to the Constitution rather than a priority, it is no wonder the person stepping into the role is left floundering to find purpose.

Nearly every vice president has struggled to feel seen and heard while in office (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Benjamin Franklin went so far as to suggest that the vice president should be addressed as “Your Superfluous Excellency.”

“They didn’t have an office in the White House,” said Baker. “No president actually gave them an office in the White House until Lyndon Johnson came along as the first one to argue he should have an office in the White House. And even then he didn’t get it in the White House itself – he only got it in the Executive Office Building across the street.”

Breeding insecurity

While reporting on the last five vice presidents, Baker said he learned the vice president’s job is far from easy.

“A vice president’s power is entirely derivative of the president that he or she works for,” said Baker. “You have as much as they’re willing to give you, and nothing more. You’re wholly dependent on the president.

“The vice presidents are always waiting for a president to tell them what they can do, what they shouldn’t do, and so forth. It just breeds insecurity.”

Even though the vice president is the second highest official in the land and the next in line for the presidency, the person holding that role can feel enormously uncertain about their place in the White House.

Refusing to be marginalized

Walter Mondale called it,” said Baker. “He said the vice president, over American history, has always been standby equipment.”

President Ford was the first vice president to be chosen under the terms of the 25th Amendment (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Mondale took notice of his predecessors’ marginalized capacity – and refused to follow in their footsteps.

“When [Mondale] became Jimmy Carter’s vice president, he got Carter to agree to give him an office in the West Wing, just down the hall and around the corner from the Oval Office,” said Baker. “He got to be the first vice president ever to live in an official government residence.”

Most importantly, Mondale drafted a memo with an expansive interpretation of how he saw the job, and how he could be useful to the administration. That memo has been used by several vice presidents to make their own arguments to the presidents they serve.

Richard (Dick) Cheney, serving as vice president to President George W. Bush, was also a key player in expanding the role of vice presidents.

Cheney has been described as the most powerful vice president in history.

“He knew Washington, he knew his players,” said Baker.

But the most important factor lay in Cheney’s ability to build a relationship with President Bush, who empowered him to be an influential vice president.

“Bush gave Cheney access to every meeting, every decision,” said Baker. “He involved Cheney in every aspect of the presidency. It’s such a contrast to his predecessors.”

Through Mondale and Cheney, the role of vice president experienced extensive and unprecedented growth.

(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

From standby to partner

In the last several administrations, vice presidents have taken on more of a role as mentor and guide to the presidents they serve.

“[The vice president] has become more of a partner riding shotgun for the president heading into a political administration, given much more responsibility, and sometimes even more visibility, than in the past,” said Baker.

More from Peter Baker

The full “Covering the Vice Presidency: Lessons Learned on the Road” presentation at the Ford Museum will soon be available on the Museum website. Click here for updates.

To view Peter Baker’s interview with WKTV Journal Managing Editor Deborah Reed about the importance of journalism and its core values, and the evolution of our country’s presidential administrations, click on the video below.

New York Times Chief White House Correspondent Peter Baker is coming to the Ford Museum

Renowned journalist Peter Baker will present his journalistic view on the evolving role of the vice presidency on April 23 (Supplied)


By WKTV Staff

deborah@wktv.org


The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum will host Peter Baker, Chief White House Correspondent for The New York Times and a political analyst for MSNBC, on Tuesday, April 23.

Having reported on the last five presidencies for The Times and The Washington Post, Baker will
present “Covering the Vice Presidency: Lessons Learned on the Road,” his journalistic view on the
evolving role of the vice presidency.

This public lecture will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Ford Museum, and is free to attend. There will be a Zoom alternative for those unable to attend in-person.


Admission to this Ford Museum event is free (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

Knowledge & Insight

“We are honored to host the esteemed Peter Baker, renowned for his incisive journalism, at the museum,” said Brooke Clement, Director of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum. “The audience will be treated to Baker’s extensive first-hand knowledge of the last five presidential administrations and his keen insight into American politics.”

At The Post, Baker served as Moscow Co-Bureau Chief and covered the opening months of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is author of seven books written with his wife Susan Glasser of The New Yorker. The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021 and The Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James A. Baker III are two of Baker’s best-selling works. Baker is also a frequent panelist on Washington Week on PBS.

For more information about the event, click here.

Learning & Reflection

President Gerald R. Ford (Supplied)

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum allows visitors to experience highlights from the lives of President Gerald Ford, the 38th president of the United States (1974–1977), and his wife Betty Ford.

Museum exhibits teach democratic citizenship and allow for quiet reflection. In addition, changing temporary exhibits draw artifacts from partner museums nationwide.

Part of the presidential library system of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Ford Museum is located in downtown Grand Rapids. The Ford Library is located on the north campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

The National Archives and Records Administration is the nation’s record keeper. It safeguards and manages the official records of the U.S. Government, ensuring the documentation of our nation’s history.