Presidential Madness (Round 12): Pick the best vice president ever!
Our readers have spoken in our Presidential Madness contest, and we have two finalists for the Cabinet position of best vice president ever: John Adams and Al Gore.
Get into Presidential Madness by downloading a bracket [PDF] and predicting who you think will make it to the finals as best Cabinet member of all time. Check in and vote each day at Constitution Daily for the latest round of polling.
Our annual Presidential Madness contest has picked the best real-life and fictional presidents in past years, but this time, we set out to select the ultimate presidential Cabinet—and the best Cabinet member of all time.
So far, Thomas Jefferson was named by readers as their favorite secretary of state, edging out Hillary Clinton, while Henry Stimson, the War Department’s leader in World War II, bested Caspar Weinberger for defense secretary. Alexander Hamilton was picked over Robert Kennedy in a battle of close presidential advisers.
Today, the last position in our cabinet Final Four is up for grabs, as Adams and Gore have survived a vice presidential battle royale. But only one candidate will advance.
In earlier voting, Adams won a hard-fought victory over Teddy Roosevelt as best historical vice president. Gore won a very close four-man race that included Joe Biden, Gerald Ford, and Richard Nixon in the modern vice president category.
John Adams was the first vice president, serving under President George Washington for eight years before becoming president himself. Adams was a key figure in the American Revolution as a statesman and theorist.
Al Gore was the close adviser and political ally for President Bill Clinton for eight years. He came to the job well-prepared, being raised in a political family. Gore’s wide range of expertise and his background similar to Clinton’s gave him a unique role as an engaged vice president.
Vote for your favorite in our poll below. And starting on Friday, you can pick the finalists in Presidential Madness as the last four contenders go head-to-head in two votes. It will be Jefferson vs. Hamilton, in a battle of the Founding Fathers, and Stimson vs. the Adams/Gore winner.
Note: If you can’t see the poll above, use this link: http://poll.fm/46bw7
