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Wacky vice presidents are a long Republican tradition
JD Vance’s bitterly misjudged ‘childless cat ladies’ broadside broke the internet — but lightweight, bizarre or even downright dangerous vice-presidential picks are the norm for Republicans, writes LINDA PENTZ GUNTER
Republican vice presidential candidate Senator JD Vance takes the stage with his wife Usha Vance during a rally in his home town of Middletown, Ohio, July 22, 2024

THERE should not have been quite as much surprise over presidential contender Donald Trump’s pick of JD Vance as his vice-presidential running mate. After all, the Republican Party has a pretty solid track record of selecting lightweights with bizarre views or quirky traits for the second-fiddle role.

Richard Nixon’s vice-president was Spiro Agnew, who metaphorically put his foot in his mouth so many times with a succession of verbal gaffes that he became better known as the butt of jokes, including one that suggested: “The only time Agnew opens his mouth is to change shoes.”

Early into Nixon’s second term, Agnew was forced to resign after being charged with accepting bribes and falsifying federal tax returns.

The Rebirth of the African Phoenix, by Roger McKenzie
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