“the VP is a rather powerless position”
I believe the common expression about the power of the VPOTUS is “not worth a bucket of warm spit”.
There was a hotel fire at the Willard in D.C. - a man tried to make his way past the firefighter barrier (it was Calvin Coolidge and he lived there) by saying
“I am the Vice President”.
At first the firefighter let him through - then asked “The Vice President of what?”
He said “The Vice President of the United States”.
The firefighter told him “Get back behind the line! I thought you were the Vice President of the HOTEL!”
Of course when they want to denigrate a Republican VP nominee they shake their heads, bite their lips and wail that the person is “a heartbeat away from the presidency”.