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With Trump mulling a running mate, we had experts rank vice presidents from first to worst

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With Trump mulling a running mate, we had experts rank vice presidents from first to worst

The campaign to serve as Donald Trump’s running mate has unfolded in an unusually public way, including a parade of potential vice presidents attending the New York trial that led to his historic criminal conviction. Even though Trump has suggested he might not name a running mate until this month’s Republican convention, there has been no shortage of tea-leaf-reading by journalists and pundits: Which candidate got a rough reception from conservative media? Who shared a meal with the former first family? Who defended Trump most vigorously against the despised judge or prosecutor of the moment?

Which potential running mate would do the best job as vice president may be of less interest to many commentators. But that is the most interesting question to us — and the most important one for the country.

That’s why, when we conducted our most recent Presidential Greatness Project survey of scholars, we asked the experts to evaluate vice presidents as well as presidents. The resulting rankings — which spanned from John Nance “Cactus Jack” Garner, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first vice president, to Kamala Harris — are intriguing.

Al Gore topped the list as the greatest modern vice president, followed closely by Joe Biden — who also recently entered the presidential rankings in the top third. Lyndon B. Johnson (Kennedy), George H.W. Bush (Reagan) and Walter Mondale (Carter) filled out the rest of the top five.

Nixon veep Spiro Agnew — who resigned from office following a bribery scandal — ranked last, with Dan Quayle (George H.W. Bush), Henry Wallace (FDR), Garner and Alben Barkley (Truman) rounding out the bottom five.

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Harris and Mike Pence — who served under the last-ranked president, Trump — both came in the bottom half of vice presidents, at Nos. 11 and 13 out of 18, respectively. The low rankings of the current vice president and her predecessor reflect the experts’ view that they weren’t particularly active partners in their administrations.

That is a departure from the old conventional wisdom about the role of vice presidents, which boiled down to serving as a marginal electoral asset — by, say, representing a key state or constituency — and, essentially, maintaining a pulse. Historically, vice presidents were like offensive lineman in football: If their names were in the news, it probably wasn’t good.

Modern vice presidential greatness by rank (1933-present)

Top to bottom, left to right: Vice presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Harry S. Truman, Dan Quayle, Gerald Ford, Al Gore, Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, Spiro Agnew, Joe Biden, George H.W. Bush, Dick Cheney, John Nance Garner.

But the vice presidency has expanded dramatically in prominence in recent decades. Garner’s infamous comparison of the position to a bucket of warm “spit” (to put it delicately) may have been accurate when he held office under FDR, but modern vice presidents can be policymaking partners to presidents. Today, successful vice presidents provide advice, work with Congress and carry the president’s message.

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Beyond the overall rankings, we were able to evaluate our most recent vice presidents — going back to Mondale — across several dimensions of the contemporary vice presidency. These dimensions further underscore the policy partner component of the institution.

For example, in addition to being regarded as the greatest modern vice president, Gore topped the field as a policy advisor, reflecting projects such as his “reinventing government” initiative to shrink the bureaucracy and make government less expensive and more efficient. Biden scored high on relations with Congress, largely for his “big … deal” role in helping shepherd the Affordable Care Act into law. Dick Cheney, who wasn’t rated highly overall, was nevertheless seen as an important policy advisor to President George W. Bush.

President Biden putting the Presidential Medal of Freedom around the neck of former Vice President Al Gore.

Best veep ever? Joe Biden and Al Gore — the former seen here awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the latter — both ranked high in a panel of experts’ appraisal of our nation’s last 18 vice presidents.

(Alex Brandon / Associated Press)

When we asked our respondents to provide their own definitions of vice presidential greatness, we received a wide range of responses, but several concepts and themes recurred consistently. The words that appeared most frequently in these definitions included “policy,” “effective,” “support,” “office” and “agenda” — all typically related to White House policy more than electoral politics.

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This jibes with the answers to another question we asked concerning the characteristics that are most important in a vice president. The respondents indicated that the ability to serve as a policy advisor or presidential surrogate was far more significant than the conventional focus on electoral politics.

Many of the potential running mates Trump is considering at least have the experience to become successful vice presidents. Governors such as Ron DeSantis of Florida and Doug Burgum of North Dakota have executive experience, as do the apparently free-falling Kristi Noem of South Dakota and Trump’s primary season nemesis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. Sens. Tim Scott of South Carolina, J.D. Vance of Ohio or Marco Rubio of Florida could serve as a bridge to Congress. Any of them could have the makings of effective White House policy partners given the opportunity and the inclination — neither of which is a given considering the fate of the Pence vice presidency.

That’s unfortunate, because a running mate who can provide stability and serve capably is especially important this year. Given the advanced age of both candidates, as well as the potential for Trump’s legal woes to follow him into a second term, there is a greater chance than usual that either running mate could become president.

There’s no Mt. Rushmore for vice presidents. But if there were, our expert survey suggests it would be shaped by productive governing partnerships rather than political ticket-balancing. In a year of broad public dissatisfaction with the presidential candidates and acute awareness of their flaws, many voters may well look for that potential in the running mates.

Justin Vaughn is an associate professor of political science at Coastal Carolina University. Brandon Rottinghaus is a professor of political science at the University of Houston.

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Politics

Who Is Mariann Edgar Budde, the Bishop Who Made a Plea to Trump?

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Who Is Mariann Edgar Budde, the Bishop Who Made a Plea to Trump?

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, whose direct appeal to President Trump for mercy on behalf of immigrants and the L.G.B.T.Q. community made headlines on Tuesday, was also publicly critical of Mr. Trump during his first term.

Bishop Budde, 65, is the first woman to serve as the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, and she has led the diocese since 2011.

Before moving to Washington, she spent nearly two decades as rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Minneapolis. She is an alumna of the University of Rochester in upstate New York, and she grew up partially in New Jersey and partially in Colorado. She enjoys biking around Washington.

Since last summer her diocese, which includes the National Cathedral, planned to host a prayer service the day after the inauguration regardless of who won the presidency. No matter the outcome, she intended to preach, she said.

In 2020, Bishop Budde wrote an opinion piece in The New York Times saying that she was “outraged” and “horrified” by Mr. Trump’s use of the Bible, which he held aloft at St. John’s Church after officers used tear gas against protesters for racial justice in nearby Lafayette Square. She wrote that Mr. Trump had “used sacred symbols” while “espousing positions antithetical to the Bible.”

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On Tuesday, she again had a message for Mr. Trump.

With the president seated in the front of the church, she closed her sermon by urging him “to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.”

She cited L.G.B.T.Q. people and immigrants — apparently responding to the president’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and to dismantle federal protections for transgender people.

The bishop said that unity required honesty, humility and recognition of the dignity of all humans by “refusing to mock or discount or demonize.”

Mr. Trump looked down. Vice President JD Vance, seated nearby, raised his eyebrows.

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“I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President,” she said, adding: “We were all once strangers in this land.”

Mr. Trump did not appear to enjoy the service. Later in the day, he told reporters that it was “not too exciting.”

“They could do much better,” he added, apparently referring to the organizers of the service.

In a phone interview, Bishop Budde declined to comment on Mr. Trump’s reaction to the service.

She said that she “wasn’t necessarily calling the president out,” but that she had decided to make her plea “because of the fear” she had seen in Washington’s immigrant and L.G.B.T.Q. communities.

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She wanted Mr. Trump to “be mindful of the people who are scared,” she said.

“I was trying to say: The country has been entrusted to you,” she added. “And one of the qualities of a leader is mercy.”

But she also hoped her remarks would echo far beyond Mr. Trump’s ears, she said.

A little more than half of the country now expresses some support for deporting every unauthorized immigrant living in the United States, according to a recent poll from The New York Times and Ipsos.

And Bishop Budde said she felt there had been a shift in the “license” Americans felt to be “really quite cruel.”

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“I wanted to remind all of us that these are our neighbors,” she said.

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Career Justice Department officials reassigned to different positions: reports

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Career Justice Department officials reassigned to different positions: reports

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reportedly reassigned multiple senior officials across various divisions ahead of the anticipated confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nomination for U.S. attorney general, Pam Bondi.

Fox News is told that multiple career staffers in the criminal and national security divisions at the DOJ were removed from their current posts and reassigned.

While it is difficult to fire a career person “just because,” reassigning is possible, and that appears to have happened.

Of those who were moved to other positions within the DOJ was Bruce Schwartz, head of the office of internal affairs, which handles extradition matters, a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press. The same person reportedly told the wire service that about 20 officials had been reassigned.

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Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Justice Department as attorney general, is sworn in before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her confirmation hearing, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Jan. 15. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Also, reportedly moved was George Toscas, a veteran deputy assistant attorney general in the national security division who not only helped oversee major terrorism and espionage investigations but also was a key figure in politically motivated probes over the last 10 years.

Toscas was involved in the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s handling of classified information as well as the investigation into Trump’s possession of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

Toscas’ reassignment was confirmed to The Associated Press by another person familiar with the matter.

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Trump and the RNC announce a $76 million fundraising haul in April

Former President Trump headlines a Republican National Committee spring donor retreat, in Palm Beach, Fla., May 4, 2024  (Donald Trump 2024 campaign)

“He has seen everything in both counterterrorism and counterintelligence,” a former colleague of Toscas’ who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Washington Post. “There is no one in the department who knows as much about prosecuting and investigating terrorists and spies as George Toscas.”

The Washington Post also learned from sources familiar with the matter that Eun Young Choi, another deputy assistant attorney general in the national security division, was reassigned within the department, and was notified of the change by way of email on Monday afternoon.

The DOJ declined to comment on the changes.

PRESIDENT TRUMP DISCOVERS LETTER FROM FORMER PRESIDENT BIDEN IN RESOLUTE DESK

Justice-Department

The Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Hours after Trump took the oath of office, the DOJ removed at least four senior officials from the division that operates the nation’s immigration courts, which are currently backlogged.

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The Washington Post reported that there is a 120-day moratorium on some staff reassignments after newly confirmed leaders begin their appointments, under federal guidelines. Bondi has not yet been confirmed; therefore, the moratorium is not yet in effect in the DOJ.

Currently, James McHenry is running the DOJ as acting U.S. attorney general after Merrick Garland left the department on Friday. 

The reasons for the moves were not immediately known, though it is common for a new administration to appoint its own hires to lead the DOJ.

The moves could also foreshadow additional changes, given Trump’s interest in the department, which investigated him during his first term and indicted him twice last year in separate cases that never reached trial and were withdrawn after Trump’s election win in November.

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Musk says his gestures at Trump inauguration event weren't Nazi salutes

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Musk says his gestures at Trump inauguration event weren't Nazi salutes

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a top aide to President Trump, drew and quickly dismissed a raft of condemnation from Democratic lawmakers, left-wing politicians abroad and others across the internet after twice making what to some looked like a Nazi salute from an inauguration stage.

Musk — who has endorsed antisemitic remarks and aligned himself with far-right factions, including the Alternative for Germany in that country — made the gestures during a giddy speech celebrating Trump’s return to power at an indoor rally Monday at Capital One Arena in Washington.

“I just want to say thank you for making it happen. Thank you,” Musk said to the crowd. He slapped his chest with his right hand and then shot that hand out and up, open and flat and palm down, with his right arm rigidly extended.

He then turned and made a similar gesture in the opposite direction. “My heart goes out to you,” he said.

Some defended Musk. The Anti-Defamation League, which works against antisemitism, offered Musk a pass with a post on X — a platform Musk owns.

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“It seems [Musk] made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge,” the group said. “In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath.”

Others disagreed sharply.

“Just to be clear, you are defending a Heil Hitler salute that was performed and repeated for emphasis and clarity,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) wrote in response to ADL’s post on X. “People can officially stop listening to you as any sort of reputable source of information now. You work for them. Thank you for making that crystal clear to all.”

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) expressed shock at seeing Musk’s gesture at an inaugural event.

“I never imagined we would see the day when what appears to be a Heil Hitler salute would be made behind the Presidential seal,” Nadler wrote on X.

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The concerns were echoed by left-wing politicians across Europe, and sparked a sharp debate online — where people compared videos of Musk and Hitler, side by side.

Others came to Musk’s defense. After one account on X called the uproar a “hoax” and part of what Musk himself had once called a “dirty tricks campaign” against him by liberals, Musk reposted the comment.

“Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired,” he wrote, before adding a sleeping-face emoji.

Musk also suggested on X that debate over his gestures was evidence of “legacy media propaganda.”

On Tuesday, the matter was raised again — in Congress.

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At a confirmation hearing for Trump’s nominee for United Nations ambassador, Elise Stefanik, Sen. Christopher S. Murphy (D-Conn.) asked her what she thought of Musk “doing two ‘Heil Hitler’ salutes last night at the president’s televised rally?”

“No. Elon Musk did not do those salutes,” Stefanik said. She said Musk likes to cheer on Trump and is a visionary.

It was “simply not the case” that Musk made Nazi salutes, she said. “And to say so, the American people are smart — they see through it. They support Elon Musk.”

Murphy then noted that neo-Nazi and other far-right and white supremacist extremists around the country had made clear online that they believed Musk had made Nazi salutes — which they approved of and thanked him for — and asked Stefanik what she made of that.

Stefanik criticized Murphy for asking the question, and said both she and Trump have strong records of combating antisemitism.

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