Avoiding a Lieberman Disaster

Real Clear Politics / Chicago Sun-Times ^ | August 27, 2008 | Robert Novak

[21stCenturyFreeThinker]

Novak is hardly the only one reporting McCain’s infatuation with Lieberman.

I was just surprised he was still seriously being considered this late in the process. I do think Novak is right that McCain would choose Lieberman if he thought he could get away with it.

[RVN Airplane Driver]

I’ve said it before and I'll say it again...if McCain chooses Willy Wonka as his VP...he still has my vote. The alternative is unthinkable for anyone with a brain!!

[SatinDoll]

Um...if my history lessons were correct from 40 years ago, it used to be that the vice president was actually the runner-up at the end of the Presidential elections. It was changed sometime after the Civil War but before the turn of the century. In fact, Andrew Johnson may have been the impetus for that change!

[Alter Kaker]

Um...if my history lessons were correct from 40 years ago, it used to be that the vice president was actually the runner-up at the end of the Presidential elections. It was changed sometime after the Civil War but before the turn of the century. In fact, Andrew Johnson may have been the impetus for that change!

Your history lessons weren't correct. That was only true until ratification of the 12th Amendment, in 1804. The only two elections the situation you describe affected were the elections of 1796 and 1800, both of which had screwy results that needed fixing.