Sarah Palin does not understand the VP position

Wednesday October 22, 2008 | | Permalink | Digg It

Brandon Garcia, third grader, wants to know, “What does the Vice President do?”

Palin responds, “A vice president has a really great job because not only are they there to support the president’s agenda, they’re there like the team member, the teammate to the president. But also, they’re in charge of the United States Senate, so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom. And it’s a great job and I look forward to having that job.”

While being interviewed by Larry Kudlow (of CNBC’s Kudlow and Co.) Palin stated, “As for that VP talk all the time, I’ll tell you, I still can’t answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day?” Between that interview in late July 2008 and now, it seems that Palin never showed enough intellectual curiosity to learn about the job she was asked to fill.

I feel we should help — let’s look at what the Constitution says.

Section 3, The Senate: The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

Amendment 25, 1: In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

That’s it for the powers of the Vice President. The Vice President is not “in charge” of the Senate — this is the role of the Majority Leader. The role of President of the Senate is limited to breaking voting ties. There’s nothing that suggests that the Vice President “can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes” (read as legislation). I believe that Palin’s personal interpretation of the office of Vice Presidency includes legislation (law making). If Palin wishes to pass legislation, she’s applying for the wrong position. Oops.

Perhaps Palin was just giving a simplistic, child-like answer to a question from a third grader? But if her historical understanding of the office of the VP is any indicator, she really did believe what she was saying.

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