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First in Line: Presidents, Vice Presidents, and the Pursuit of Power – An Intimate Political History from Nixon to Pence
From the author of the New York Times bestsellers First Women and The Residence, an intimate, news-making look at the men who are next in line to the most powerful office in the world—the vice presidents of the modern era—from Richard Nixon to Joe Biden to Mike Pence.
Vice presidents occupy a unique and important position, living partway in the spotlight and part in the wings. Of the forty-eight vice presidents who have served the United States, fourteen have become president; eight of these have risen to the Oval Office because of a president’s death or assassination, and one became president after his boss’s resignation. John Nance Garner, FDR’s first vice president, famously said the vice presidency is "not worth a bucket of warm piss" (later cleaned up to "warm spit"). But things have changed dramatically in recent years. In interviews with more than two hundred people, including former vice presidents, their family members, and insiders and confidants of every president since Jimmy Carter, Kate Andersen Brower pulls back the curtain and reveals the sometimes cold, sometimes close, and always complicated relationship between our modern presidents and their vice presidents.
Brower took us inside the lives of the White House staff and gave us an intimate look at the modern First Ladies; now, in her signature style, she introduces us to the second most powerful men in the world, exploring the lives and roles of thirteen modern vice presidents—eight Republicans and five Democrats. And she shares surprising revelations about the relationship between former Vice President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama and how Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump interact behind closed doors.
From rivals to coworkers, there is a very tangible sense of admiration mixed with jealousy and resentment in nearly all these relationships between the number two and his boss, even the best ones, Brower reveals. Vice presidents owe their position to the president, a connection that affects not only how they are perceived but also their possible future as a presidential candidate—which is tied, for better or worse, to the president they serve. George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan had a famously prickly relationship during the 1980 primary, yet Bush would not have been elected president in 1988 without Reagan’s high approval rating. Al Gore’s 2000 loss, meanwhile, could be attributed to the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal and Bill Clinton’s impeachment. Current Vice President Mike Pence is walking a high-stakes political tightrope as he tries to reassure anxious Republicans while staying on his boss’s good side.
This rich dynamic between the president and the vice president has never been fully explored or understood. Compelling and deeply reported, grounded in history and politics, and full of previously untold and incredibly personal stories, First In Line pierces the veil of secrecy enveloping this historic political office to offer us a candid portrait of what it’s truly like to be a heartbeat away.
Vice presidents occupy a unique and important position, living partway in the spotlight and part in the wings. Of the forty-eight vice presidents who have served the United States, fourteen have become president; eight of these have risen to the Oval Office because of a president’s death or assassination, and one became president after his boss’s resignation. John Nance Garner, FDR’s first vice president, famously said the vice presidency is "not worth a bucket of warm piss" (later cleaned up to "warm spit"). But things have changed dramatically in recent years. In interviews with more than two hundred people, including former vice presidents, their family members, and insiders and confidants of every president since Jimmy Carter, Kate Andersen Brower pulls back the curtain and reveals the sometimes cold, sometimes close, and always complicated relationship between our modern presidents and their vice presidents.
Brower took us inside the lives of the White House staff and gave us an intimate look at the modern First Ladies; now, in her signature style, she introduces us to the second most powerful men in the world, exploring the lives and roles of thirteen modern vice presidents—eight Republicans and five Democrats. And she shares surprising revelations about the relationship between former Vice President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama and how Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump interact behind closed doors.
From rivals to coworkers, there is a very tangible sense of admiration mixed with jealousy and resentment in nearly all these relationships between the number two and his boss, even the best ones, Brower reveals. Vice presidents owe their position to the president, a connection that affects not only how they are perceived but also their possible future as a presidential candidate—which is tied, for better or worse, to the president they serve. George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan had a famously prickly relationship during the 1980 primary, yet Bush would not have been elected president in 1988 without Reagan’s high approval rating. Al Gore’s 2000 loss, meanwhile, could be attributed to the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal and Bill Clinton’s impeachment. Current Vice President Mike Pence is walking a high-stakes political tightrope as he tries to reassure anxious Republicans while staying on his boss’s good side.
This rich dynamic between the president and the vice president has never been fully explored or understood. Compelling and deeply reported, grounded in history and politics, and full of previously untold and incredibly personal stories, First In Line pierces the veil of secrecy enveloping this historic political office to offer us a candid portrait of what it’s truly like to be a heartbeat away.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2018
212 people are currently reading
1709 people want to read
About the author
Kate Andersen Brower
15 books536 followersKate Andersen Brower is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller THE RESIDENCE and the New York Times bestseller FIRST WOMEN, as well as FIRST IN LINE, TEAM OF FIVE, and the children’s book EXPLORING THE WHITE HOUSE. She is a CNN contributor and she has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Vanity Fair and Time. She spent four years covering the Obama White House for Bloomberg News and is a former CBS News staffer and Fox News producer. She lives outside Washington, D.C, with her husband, their three young children, and their wheaten terrier named Chance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
February 24, 2023
Many colourful things have been said about the vice-presidency of the United States; none of them good. Kate Andersen Brower takes the plunge to explore the role and how history has treated the men (this book came out before Kamala Harris assumed the role) who held the position, as well as what they did during their ‘waiting in the wings’. Brower does a masterful job at showing how the role, largely ceremonial and usually the whipping boy of the president, allowed some to rise to the occasion and others to wither into the abyss of American politics. With great references and a powerful collection of anecdotes, Brower keeps the reader enthused until the final page turn.
While the role of US vice-president has some of the most important aspects to it, there is no doubt that it is the ultimate waiting game. As Kate Andersen Brower explores in this book, the person chosen to stand with the presidential nominee is usually there to fill a gap and help propel the ticket into the White House. However, once the goal has been achieved, it is largely a waiting game or one where the individual is sent off to attend funerals, cut ribbons, and kiss the odd baby. Still, there is a certain aura, knowing that you are but one step away from being the most powerful person in the world.
Brower explores the history of the vice-presidency, at least the modern ones, and gives the reader a better understanding of the lead-up to selection, the late campaign, and time in the White House. There were some, like LBJ, who wanted nothing to do with it, feeling that it was the ultimate kick in the teeth. Others, such as George H.W. Bush, used it to make connections with leaders around the world to help him before he became president in 1989. Still others, like Gerald Ford, had it thrust upon them in a time of panic, unsure where they were and what was going on. The stories in this book help provide the reader with some context into the role, the stress, and the complete lack of a job description.
The book is truly a collection of backstories that shed light on some of the goings-on that few who have not dug around know very well. I knew a few of these stories, mainly because I have done a great deal of reading and biography scanning over the years, but many would not know just how painful some of the connections between the pair of men turned out to be. How Nixon hated Spiro Agnew almost as soon as he won the landslide in 1968, how LBJ could not stand JFK or RFK, calling them both the most colourful names I have heard when reading about politicians interacting, and even the strain Clinton and Gore had in the latter portion of the second term. It’s truly a thankless role and some, like Mike Pence, are left with egg on their face when the president is a complete abuser of power and no one can understand why anyone would stand by him. Brower tries to make sense of it all, doing fairly well, and leaves it to the reader to decide what they want to take from this book.
As I just finished Mike Pence’s memoirs, I was eager to grab this book and get a larger picture of life as the second-in-command. I have read a great deal about LBJ and George H.W. Bush, but many of the others who sat in the Naval Observatory (and before) remained elusive to me. I quite enjoyed how Kate Andersen Brower laid the groundwork in her book and provided the reader with wonderful anecdotes to put things into context. History has largely forgotten these men and this is a way of pushing them into the limelight, even if the notoriety is not entirely positive. The strains behind the scenes become apparent in the narrative, as presidents use their vice-presidents to run errands or get dumped on, then rage when things are not going so smoothly as they should. Still, the ceremonial role aside, these men (and now woman) have that precarious role of being one breath, one heartbeat, away from ultimate power, but sit there, like the understudy, waiting for someone to die or be incapacitated. What a job to have, eh?!
Kudos, Madam Brower, for this excellent look into the life of vice-presidents. I was enthralled from the get-go and am so pleased I took the time to read this book.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
While the role of US vice-president has some of the most important aspects to it, there is no doubt that it is the ultimate waiting game. As Kate Andersen Brower explores in this book, the person chosen to stand with the presidential nominee is usually there to fill a gap and help propel the ticket into the White House. However, once the goal has been achieved, it is largely a waiting game or one where the individual is sent off to attend funerals, cut ribbons, and kiss the odd baby. Still, there is a certain aura, knowing that you are but one step away from being the most powerful person in the world.
Brower explores the history of the vice-presidency, at least the modern ones, and gives the reader a better understanding of the lead-up to selection, the late campaign, and time in the White House. There were some, like LBJ, who wanted nothing to do with it, feeling that it was the ultimate kick in the teeth. Others, such as George H.W. Bush, used it to make connections with leaders around the world to help him before he became president in 1989. Still others, like Gerald Ford, had it thrust upon them in a time of panic, unsure where they were and what was going on. The stories in this book help provide the reader with some context into the role, the stress, and the complete lack of a job description.
The book is truly a collection of backstories that shed light on some of the goings-on that few who have not dug around know very well. I knew a few of these stories, mainly because I have done a great deal of reading and biography scanning over the years, but many would not know just how painful some of the connections between the pair of men turned out to be. How Nixon hated Spiro Agnew almost as soon as he won the landslide in 1968, how LBJ could not stand JFK or RFK, calling them both the most colourful names I have heard when reading about politicians interacting, and even the strain Clinton and Gore had in the latter portion of the second term. It’s truly a thankless role and some, like Mike Pence, are left with egg on their face when the president is a complete abuser of power and no one can understand why anyone would stand by him. Brower tries to make sense of it all, doing fairly well, and leaves it to the reader to decide what they want to take from this book.
As I just finished Mike Pence’s memoirs, I was eager to grab this book and get a larger picture of life as the second-in-command. I have read a great deal about LBJ and George H.W. Bush, but many of the others who sat in the Naval Observatory (and before) remained elusive to me. I quite enjoyed how Kate Andersen Brower laid the groundwork in her book and provided the reader with wonderful anecdotes to put things into context. History has largely forgotten these men and this is a way of pushing them into the limelight, even if the notoriety is not entirely positive. The strains behind the scenes become apparent in the narrative, as presidents use their vice-presidents to run errands or get dumped on, then rage when things are not going so smoothly as they should. Still, the ceremonial role aside, these men (and now woman) have that precarious role of being one breath, one heartbeat, away from ultimate power, but sit there, like the understudy, waiting for someone to die or be incapacitated. What a job to have, eh?!
Kudos, Madam Brower, for this excellent look into the life of vice-presidents. I was enthralled from the get-go and am so pleased I took the time to read this book.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
July 26, 2018
This is an easy readable book. Brower is a journalist and writes in that style. Because she is not a historian, facts are presented but there is no historical analysis or academic documentation. The book is well written and researched. Brower tells the history of the vice presidents and how the method of choosing the VP to his role in office has changed over the history of our country. Brower states no one wants to be the vice president. Nine vice presidents have become president after the president either died, was assassinated or resigned. Of those vice presidents who became presidents, Brower states some have been poor presidents and some became significant presidents.
Brower provided a brief biography of the vice presidents since Truman to the most current one. I found the information about Dan Quayle and Mike Pence interesting and new to me; all the others I was quite familiar with. The book starts off strong but becomes gossipy in the last half. The author might have done better shorting the book and making it more concise. Over all, I enjoyed the book and did pick up some new information about vice presidents. The author has triggered me to want to read some biographies about some of the vice presidents.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is almost eleven hours. Fred Sanders does a good job narrating the book. Sanders is an actor, voice-over artist and audiobook narrator. I would give this book 3.5 stars, but unable to do halves, so gave it a 4.
Brower provided a brief biography of the vice presidents since Truman to the most current one. I found the information about Dan Quayle and Mike Pence interesting and new to me; all the others I was quite familiar with. The book starts off strong but becomes gossipy in the last half. The author might have done better shorting the book and making it more concise. Over all, I enjoyed the book and did pick up some new information about vice presidents. The author has triggered me to want to read some biographies about some of the vice presidents.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is almost eleven hours. Fred Sanders does a good job narrating the book. Sanders is an actor, voice-over artist and audiobook narrator. I would give this book 3.5 stars, but unable to do halves, so gave it a 4.
October 8, 2020
The Vice President is the second most powerful person(man) in the world, but they aren't always treated that way. For the majority of U.S. history the Vice President didn't have any purpose other than to step in if something bad happened to the President. The Founding Fathers weren't even sure if the Vice President would be a permanent position. For years becoming VEEP was the end of your political career.
Nowadays the VEEP is a sought after position. Its considered a good thing even if your candidate loses because you've gotten your name out there and you can make money off of it.
First In Line takes a look at the 13 most recent VEEPS starting with Richard Nixon all the way up to Michael Pence. With the exception of Obama and Biden, most Presidents and Vice Presidents were not close and after leaving office rarely speak to each other. The biggest breakup being Clinton/ Gore. The relationship between the President and his second in command is often hostile and filled with backstabbing, with the current President and his VEEP being no different.
First in Line was a well researched and engaging read. I personally would have wanted the author to go farther back but that's just the history nerd in me.
I highly recommend First in Line!
Vote like your life depends on it because it does.
Nowadays the VEEP is a sought after position. Its considered a good thing even if your candidate loses because you've gotten your name out there and you can make money off of it.
First In Line takes a look at the 13 most recent VEEPS starting with Richard Nixon all the way up to Michael Pence. With the exception of Obama and Biden, most Presidents and Vice Presidents were not close and after leaving office rarely speak to each other. The biggest breakup being Clinton/ Gore. The relationship between the President and his second in command is often hostile and filled with backstabbing, with the current President and his VEEP being no different.
First in Line was a well researched and engaging read. I personally would have wanted the author to go farther back but that's just the history nerd in me.
I highly recommend First in Line!
Vote like your life depends on it because it does.
March 5, 2019
Enlightening close-up view of the relationship dynamic between the President and Vice President from Eisenhower through the early days of Trump-Pence taking office. There were some revelatory tidbits sprinkled in these pages and it is clear the author gleaned quite a bit of perspective by talking to several of the veeps as well. What the book highlighted for me was the difference between what we see portrayed in the media and the reality of what goes on behind the scenes. There is also a fair amount of info about the Second Ladies and how they wielded influence on their husbands, some more than others. Not a deep historical perspective, a little gossipy, and at times jumps around, but thought provoking. VP might be the worst, powerless, thankless, role in US politics that enjoys outsized popularity. Yet they are only a heartbeat away from being the leader of the free world!
Thanks to Goodreads, I received this book gratis in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Goodreads, I received this book gratis in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2018
Apart from some occasional behind the scenes gossip, I found the book to be disappointing. First of all it was not organized chronologically, which would have made the contents easier to follow. Secondly, and perhaps more to the point, much of the contents amount to a retelling of events I was already familiar with. I did do a double-take, however, at the idea that Dick Cheney apparently has a sense of humor. That, at least, was something that would not have otherwise occurred to me!
April 12, 2021
3.5 star
The more I read about American Politics, the least I understand it :P
First in Line is a very interesting book to know a little more about the modern Vice Presidents and their role in the government and the relations they had with their Presidents. I have barely any knowledge, so I found it an interesting read. However, it stays a little on the surface and if you want more indept information, I think you have to read memoires or biographies about those VP's.
The more I read about American Politics, the least I understand it :P
First in Line is a very interesting book to know a little more about the modern Vice Presidents and their role in the government and the relations they had with their Presidents. I have barely any knowledge, so I found it an interesting read. However, it stays a little on the surface and if you want more indept information, I think you have to read memoires or biographies about those VP's.
June 27, 2018
Well, let’s see what we have here. A book about Vice Presidents that starts off really interesting. Lots of interesting facts and tidbits. Good reading so far. Then comes the second half of the book which becomes very biased for certain Vice Presidents and very biased against certain Vice Presidents. Almost like watching the cable news channels. Book starts strong and finishes weak. Too bad, there was a lot of potential here with this topic.
July 4, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up.
This book examines the role of the Vice-President and how various men have served in that position. Since it was published in 2018, it doesn’t get into the January 6th insurrection and DJT’s indifference to the threats against Mike Pence, and the history making election of Kamala Harris to the Vice-Presidency.
It is interesting to learn about the relationships that various VPs have had with their bosses. FDR, DDE, JFK, LBJ, RMM, RR and DJT were pretty sucky to their VPs. Carter, GHWB, Clinton, GWB and Obama treated their VPs as partners, or at least were respectful of them. Carter and Mondale were truly partners, as were Obama and Biden, and to a lesser extent Clinton and Gore, and Bush and Cheney (the Clinton/Gore relationship fell apart as Clinton became increasingly subsumed by scandal and Bush eventually became less dependent upon Cheney, thus marginalizing his influence.)
The author is pretty even handed about each VP, resisting showing favorites as she did in writing about the First Ladies, where her biases were very evident.
Some interesting factoids:
Jerry Ford was preparing to retire from Congress when he was picked by Nixon to become his VP. He only agreed out of a sense of duty to his country. He never wanted to be VP, let alone President. A truly honorable man.
Reagan wanted Ford as his VP, but Ford declined. Who goes from President to VP?
Dick Cheney is only 5 years older than GWB! And although he’s known for his Darth Vader persona, he really does have a dry sense of humor.
The one factoid that I truly don’t believe is that DJT opened meetings with a prayer. There were never any reports of lightening striking the White House.
I have to admit that I cried through the section dealing with Beau Biden’s illness and death, and how it affected the Biden family and Barack Obama. It is devastating to read. “You’ve got to promise me Dad, no matter what happens, you’re going to be all right.” (I am tearing up as I type this. Reading that section again has me in tears.)(Full disclosure: I lost my father to the same type of brain cancer in 1982.)
I’ve had this book for a while, and chose to read it now after watching the J6 hearings and DJT’s reaction to the threats against Mike Pence. I would love to know how Pence really feels about DJT now, but we’ll probably never know. Pence is way too ambitious to speak negatively about DJT. His only goals now are to be President and make the country conform to his far right beliefs. Unfortunately, SCOTUS is helping part of that mission along.
This is an interesting read, but not a great read.
This book examines the role of the Vice-President and how various men have served in that position. Since it was published in 2018, it doesn’t get into the January 6th insurrection and DJT’s indifference to the threats against Mike Pence, and the history making election of Kamala Harris to the Vice-Presidency.
It is interesting to learn about the relationships that various VPs have had with their bosses. FDR, DDE, JFK, LBJ, RMM, RR and DJT were pretty sucky to their VPs. Carter, GHWB, Clinton, GWB and Obama treated their VPs as partners, or at least were respectful of them. Carter and Mondale were truly partners, as were Obama and Biden, and to a lesser extent Clinton and Gore, and Bush and Cheney (the Clinton/Gore relationship fell apart as Clinton became increasingly subsumed by scandal and Bush eventually became less dependent upon Cheney, thus marginalizing his influence.)
The author is pretty even handed about each VP, resisting showing favorites as she did in writing about the First Ladies, where her biases were very evident.
Some interesting factoids:
Jerry Ford was preparing to retire from Congress when he was picked by Nixon to become his VP. He only agreed out of a sense of duty to his country. He never wanted to be VP, let alone President. A truly honorable man.
Reagan wanted Ford as his VP, but Ford declined. Who goes from President to VP?
Dick Cheney is only 5 years older than GWB! And although he’s known for his Darth Vader persona, he really does have a dry sense of humor.
The one factoid that I truly don’t believe is that DJT opened meetings with a prayer. There were never any reports of lightening striking the White House.
I have to admit that I cried through the section dealing with Beau Biden’s illness and death, and how it affected the Biden family and Barack Obama. It is devastating to read. “You’ve got to promise me Dad, no matter what happens, you’re going to be all right.” (I am tearing up as I type this. Reading that section again has me in tears.)(Full disclosure: I lost my father to the same type of brain cancer in 1982.)
I’ve had this book for a while, and chose to read it now after watching the J6 hearings and DJT’s reaction to the threats against Mike Pence. I would love to know how Pence really feels about DJT now, but we’ll probably never know. Pence is way too ambitious to speak negatively about DJT. His only goals now are to be President and make the country conform to his far right beliefs. Unfortunately, SCOTUS is helping part of that mission along.
This is an interesting read, but not a great read.
February 3, 2021
I had NO IDEA Nelson Rockefeller's son was likely eaten by cannibals, so if for no other reason, this book was a winner to me.
I mean, the rest of the book was good too, but if you're an adult who could legitimately join a group called "goths whose favorite color is pink" then it really doesn't get much better than that.
I mean, the rest of the book was good too, but if you're an adult who could legitimately join a group called "goths whose favorite color is pink" then it really doesn't get much better than that.
March 23, 2021
I adored this book. There was a program in December 2020 on CNN about the Vice Presidency and then I read this, which had some of the information that was on the CNN program. However, this was much more in-depth and looked at the relationships between Eisenhower/Nixon up to Trump/Pence. It did also take a look at FDR/Truman and how in the dark Truman was until he came into the Presidency. It's very interesting how the Vice Presidency only came into a true partnership with the game changing arrangement between Carter/Mondale. You look back at all the men who occupied the VP office (those you can remember and not have to look up anyways) and wonder at the wasted potential.
This book takes a look at the modern day men who have been VP (this was written in 2018) and shows their personalities as well as their policies. Each man was pretty open and candid with the authoress. Given that it was written in 2018, I would give a lot for an updated version with former VP Mike Pence and if his loyalty to Trump has been shaken or broken in the aftermath of the failed coup in January 2020. His chapter ends with making it clear at the time Pence had his eyes on running for President in the future. One wonders if that desire has cooled off given events.
All in all I found this an engaging and fascinating read. If you're a history buff like me and interested in how the VP/P relationship changed in the modern day, and how that came about, then pick this up. I also learned that Dick Cheney has a sense of humor. Who would have thought that of him behind his Darth Vader-like persona?
Pick this up. It's worth it.
This book takes a look at the modern day men who have been VP (this was written in 2018) and shows their personalities as well as their policies. Each man was pretty open and candid with the authoress. Given that it was written in 2018, I would give a lot for an updated version with former VP Mike Pence and if his loyalty to Trump has been shaken or broken in the aftermath of the failed coup in January 2020. His chapter ends with making it clear at the time Pence had his eyes on running for President in the future. One wonders if that desire has cooled off given events.
All in all I found this an engaging and fascinating read. If you're a history buff like me and interested in how the VP/P relationship changed in the modern day, and how that came about, then pick this up. I also learned that Dick Cheney has a sense of humor. Who would have thought that of him behind his Darth Vader-like persona?
Pick this up. It's worth it.
December 18, 2019
I was pretty much riveted by all the anecdotes from the working/personal relationships of modern VPs and their respective POTUSes (from Vice President Nixon and President Eisenhower all the way up through Vice President Pence and President Trump). Some tidbits include:
--Nixon could not please Eisenhower, who told reporters they'd have to get back to him on a single accomplishment of Nixon during his VP years in Eisenhower's administration.
--LBJ fared little better under JFK, until JFK died; then he got the cherry he wanted.
--Humphrey was treated the same ways under LBJ.
--Reagan wanted former Pres. Ford as his VP, but Ford wanted too much and finally declined, so Reagan felt compelled to ask George H. W. Bush, though he was rankled by Bush's comments during the primary about Reagan's "voodoo economics."
--Earlier when Ford ran against Carter, his advisers begged him to select Reagan, but Ford absolutely would not, rankled that Reagan had ran a primary against him, a sitting president.
--Mondale and Carter transformed the vice-presidency.
--Clinton defied political wisdom in selecting Al Gore, but he still won. Clinton and Gore's relationship started off strong but declined, especially when the Lewinsky scandal came to light.
The book doesn't move in chronological order but highlights various aspects of the vice presidency and then uses the modern vice presidents as illustrations, so that you're bouncing between administrations, which keeps the reader's interest. The last two chapters, however, focused on Biden and Obama, and Pence and Trump, respectively. These two chapters felt far more subjective than the rest of the book.
--Nixon could not please Eisenhower, who told reporters they'd have to get back to him on a single accomplishment of Nixon during his VP years in Eisenhower's administration.
--LBJ fared little better under JFK, until JFK died; then he got the cherry he wanted.
--Humphrey was treated the same ways under LBJ.
--Reagan wanted former Pres. Ford as his VP, but Ford wanted too much and finally declined, so Reagan felt compelled to ask George H. W. Bush, though he was rankled by Bush's comments during the primary about Reagan's "voodoo economics."
--Earlier when Ford ran against Carter, his advisers begged him to select Reagan, but Ford absolutely would not, rankled that Reagan had ran a primary against him, a sitting president.
--Mondale and Carter transformed the vice-presidency.
--Clinton defied political wisdom in selecting Al Gore, but he still won. Clinton and Gore's relationship started off strong but declined, especially when the Lewinsky scandal came to light.
The book doesn't move in chronological order but highlights various aspects of the vice presidency and then uses the modern vice presidents as illustrations, so that you're bouncing between administrations, which keeps the reader's interest. The last two chapters, however, focused on Biden and Obama, and Pence and Trump, respectively. These two chapters felt far more subjective than the rest of the book.
October 26, 2024
I have read two other books by Kate Anderson Brower, The Residence and First Women. I enjoyed them both. So it made sense to pick up this book and give it a read. Her writing style is interesting, engaging and very easy to read.
It is basically about the Vice Presidents between Nixon and Pence and their relationship with the Presidents they served. It describes how the position has changed and evolved over the years and how these men, Kamala Harris was elected after this book was published, viewed the office they held. It is interesting how differently the 13 individuals discussed viewed the job they held.
It is a good way to get to know these men better as most people are unlikely to read biographies about every one of these individuals. The author provides a variety of topics and tidbits of information. And it’s a good way to learn more about the office itself. I would definitely recommend giving this book a chance.
It is basically about the Vice Presidents between Nixon and Pence and their relationship with the Presidents they served. It describes how the position has changed and evolved over the years and how these men, Kamala Harris was elected after this book was published, viewed the office they held. It is interesting how differently the 13 individuals discussed viewed the job they held.
It is a good way to get to know these men better as most people are unlikely to read biographies about every one of these individuals. The author provides a variety of topics and tidbits of information. And it’s a good way to learn more about the office itself. I would definitely recommend giving this book a chance.
June 9, 2020
An enjoyable read, but not to the extent of her previous bestselling books The Residence and First Women. In her acknowledgements, Brower writes, "I hope I have managed to provide a glimpse into the relationship between the two most powerful people in the country." Mission accomplished. However, that is why I choose three stars as a rating. It was only a glimpse, and the stories she shared often left me wanting more information. On multiple occasions, I stopped reading to hop on Google to dive deeper into certain situations or people.
In hindsight, I wish I had read this right as it came out, as the information on the current administration would have been fun to have read earlier and reflected back on over the past two years.
I am looking forward to reading her recent release Team of Five.
In hindsight, I wish I had read this right as it came out, as the information on the current administration would have been fun to have read earlier and reflected back on over the past two years.
I am looking forward to reading her recent release Team of Five.
January 17, 2021
3.5 Stars. First in Line has been a book I’ve been excited to read for sometime, and I was overall happy with it. The book is fairly light on details itself and I would have preferred more attention being paid to some of the lesser known Veeps of the modern era, but I still found myself learning new information thanks to this. From Dick Cheney’s sense of humor to being put through the ringer like Hubert Humphrey, there is quite a few bits of fascinating trivia. However, much of the book isn’t focused on these men’s time in office which was one of the biggest draws to this book, and the non-chronological order proved at times frustrating. Still, this is a very quick read and you’ll likely learn some new information along the way while reading it. A less than thorough but enjoyable read on the second in command.
April 13, 2020
I was hoping this book would cover more about vice presidents that weren’t so recent, but a good portion of it is about Biden and Pence… and it was really hard to not just skip the sections about Pence. That being said, I did enjoy learning about all the squabbles between Reagan/Ford/Bush. It’s also funny just how many quotes there are about vice presidents who hate the position.
There’s a lot of jumping around in the narrative, so I think the strongest parts are actually the falling out between Clinton and Gore, and the focus at the end on the relationship between Biden and Obama, which was surprising to me that it started off rocky. I think I would have liked this better if it had been chronological.
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There’s a lot of jumping around in the narrative, so I think the strongest parts are actually the falling out between Clinton and Gore, and the focus at the end on the relationship between Biden and Obama, which was surprising to me that it started off rocky. I think I would have liked this better if it had been chronological.
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March 13, 2021
Brower provides a look at the dynamics between US presidents and vice presidents from Eisenhower/Nixon to Trump/Pence as well as the various routes the vice presidents' careers took following their times in office. In addition to plenty of gossip, there's some actually interesting stuff here, as well as an account of how the role of vice president has changed and grown both more defined and more important over the terms served by the thirteen vice presidents portrayed.
February 23, 2022
The history of the office of the Vice Presidency with the focus on the last 13 through Mike Pence and the Trump administration…Anecdotal analysis of how the office has been used as a part of the last administrations…Just so-so!
October 14, 2018
i try but i’m not a fan of the author. every book starts off strong and interesting and then becomes repetitive and boring as it goes on. she also *always* shows a bias when discussing politicians she obviously has preference for. the topic was interesting and in the beginning i actually forgot who the author was but quickly remembered as it went on and i found myself re-reading sentences she had used in earlier chapters. overall, good topic, poor author, would have been much more interesting and insightful if this was written by someone else.
October 16, 2018
This book was completely fascinating. I basically know nothing about vice presidents except for Biden and that's only because I read his book a few months ago. And I never really thought much as to how/why they are chosen in present day. So interesting, no matter which side you are on.
Read
April 1, 2022Worthwhile read. Lots of information I didn’t know
January 21, 2021
Inside look at the relationships between president and VP and how it has changed over time. I love learning about the personal relationships that they had and how that effected their jobs.
May 21, 2024
The author has previously penned well noted books on the White House residence staff and recent First Ladies. Now she turns her attention to Vice Presidents, starting somewhat with the Ike-Nixon relationship but really getting into full gear with LBJ-JFK, and Bobby. MUCH literature has been done about this relationship; I found her retelling redundant and better done in books such as Mutual Contempt, Death of A President, and the fourth volume of Robert Caro's ongoing biography of Johnson. The book becomes more interesting, informative and gossipy as we move closer to recent President-VP relationships. I found the most surprisingly poignant the Bush41-Dan Quayle story. Quayle's clumsy introduction to the national audience and his legendary gaffes are recounted, but spiced with Quayle's apt reflection on his moment in the sun, that for a time "The world was mine." By 1992 even George W. Bush was urging his father to drop Quayle from the ticket in favor of Dick Cheney. Foreshadowing the year 2000. Brower recounts now the Bush 43-Cheney relationship soured in the second term; the men were never close friends, and the same for their wives. Also detailed is the estrangement of the "brothers" Bill Clinton and Al Gore. We see Gore, who won the popular vote but lost the electoral college, called the similarly cursed Hillary Clinton after her loss. But that relationship turned bad early in the Clinton years. Gore's now former wife Tipper was especially irked by the Lewinsky affair, as Karen Pence was later by the vulgar Trump Access Hollywood tape. We end with the genuine closeness of the Obama's and the Bidens and the cautious role Mike Pence now plays-his wife is more of a player than we imagined, she even led Pence out of the Catholic Church and toward the Evangelicals. (As I read it there is some confusion, as Pence's move to Evangelical practice predated his marriage celebrated in a Catholic Church.) Brower is a reporter, not an historian or an analyst. The book is a series of events within relationships with little retrospective. There are no footnotes or detailed endnotes; merely chapter roundups at the end citing interviews and sources. The nitpicky error gets me: Page 9 references Teddy Roosevelt's irritation at a noisy "Oval Office" chandelier. Teddy's successor Taft built the first Oval Office. Teddy moved the executive offices with his West Wing construction, but his office was squared. The book is overall an interesting read. DATED NOW as Pence is seen as a Trump loyalist and potential Presidential candidate, written before the "hang" chants of 1/6/21.
March 18, 2021
I can't get enough of these books.
July 16, 2018
This book looks to offer insight into one of the most visible, and most derided, jobs in America: Vice President of the United States. Brower limits the scope of this work to the Post-World War II America, so this would cover the lives and actions of 13 men who held this unique position in American politics. It is a job that has a lot of stakes (should something happen to the President, be it death or resignation, the VP will become the President, which has happened three times since World War II), and one that is seen as political backwater. You don't have to read this work for very long to realize that no one ever says their life's vision is to become the Vice President of the United States.
Anderson does provide a good deal of person insight and correspondence, especially of those more recent Vice Presidents and their families. There is no one way to be a Vice President, and how a President uses and treats a Vice President varies from Presidency to Presidency. Sometimes it can be a strong relationship (Carter/Mondale, Reagan/Bush)...and sometimes, it is a poisonous mixture (Johnson/Humphrey). In most cases, the VP will show deferential respect to the President, but the men who are VPs are usually men who have their eyes set on the top job, and the "Back-up" role does not suit their egos. In a lot of cases, the relationships between VPs and Presidents do not always end well, as a common theme is that post presidency, the VPs and the Presidents have, at best, a "cordial" relationship.
At first, the book seemed to jump around in organization, ranging from discussions of the political backstories of how VPs are selected, the impact on the "Second Ladies", etc...but by the mid-way point, the book starts to follow a chronological order. Perhaps if it started out that way, it might have been stronger. Still, a good read for those who want insights into a somewhat under-reported position.
Anderson does provide a good deal of person insight and correspondence, especially of those more recent Vice Presidents and their families. There is no one way to be a Vice President, and how a President uses and treats a Vice President varies from Presidency to Presidency. Sometimes it can be a strong relationship (Carter/Mondale, Reagan/Bush)...and sometimes, it is a poisonous mixture (Johnson/Humphrey). In most cases, the VP will show deferential respect to the President, but the men who are VPs are usually men who have their eyes set on the top job, and the "Back-up" role does not suit their egos. In a lot of cases, the relationships between VPs and Presidents do not always end well, as a common theme is that post presidency, the VPs and the Presidents have, at best, a "cordial" relationship.
At first, the book seemed to jump around in organization, ranging from discussions of the political backstories of how VPs are selected, the impact on the "Second Ladies", etc...but by the mid-way point, the book starts to follow a chronological order. Perhaps if it started out that way, it might have been stronger. Still, a good read for those who want insights into a somewhat under-reported position.
March 3, 2019
3.5 stars. I enjoyed learning about the Vice Presidents; who they were, how they became VP and the overall efficacy of their tenure. It was distracting to not have it written in chronological order the whole time and seemed to jump around a bit. Through most of the book, the author’s opinion seemed absent. Sadly, in other sections, not so much. It was a disappointment to see obvious bias rather than straight reporting.
November 4, 2024
Excellent book, well written and thoroughly interesting.
August 19, 2020
“First in Line” is an examination of the relationships between modern vice-presidents from Nixon to Pence and the presidents they served from Eisenhower to Trump. Drawn more from anecdote than political analysis it emphasizes more, but not exclusively, the personal relationships over the political.
In keeping with what I just said, what new insights are presented tend to be in the inter-personal rather than official realms. The current running through the book is that the vice-presidents are clearly number two, never to outshine, publicly disagree with or establish an independent persona from the men who chose them. On an individual basis this work adheres to the prevailing story lines: Eisenhower treated Nixon like a lower level officer; the social distinctions between Kennedy and Johnson resulted in Lyndon being employed on largely insubstantial matters, deflating his ambitions despite his desperate efforts to ingratiate himself; LBJ humiliated Humphrey to make his term as miserable as what he had endured; Nixon and Agnew were a train wreck from the start and Ford kept his distance as Nixon slowly unraveled; Ford’s vision of utilizing Rockefeller’s vast experience crumbled under conservative opposition that made him the only modern vice-president to be dumped from the ticket; Carter made Mondale his top advisor and transformed the vice-president into a key fixture in the administration; Reagan accepted Bush as a necessity after Ford turned him down, but they forged a team, but not a close friendship; Bush’s choice of Quayle was surprising and not particularly successful; Clinton and Gore began as near bros and ended in mutual near contempt; although Cheney was, in the first term, the most powerful vice-president, his relationship with Bush was all business; Obama and Biden grew to affection; Pence walks the tight-rope while he tries to maintain a semblance of stability in a chaotic Trump White House.
I most appreciated the little-known facts picked up on these pages. I had heard that Ike and Nixon had an agreement on how Nixon would act if Ike were alive but incapacitated. Here we read of some of its details. The extensive account of VP vetting was fascinating. Obama’s plea that Biden not sell his house to help his family and Pence’s consultation with Cheney and Biden reveal the human side of the political class.
Author Kate Andersen Brower has crafted a very readable and informative account of this most complex and uniquely American pas-de-deux.
In keeping with what I just said, what new insights are presented tend to be in the inter-personal rather than official realms. The current running through the book is that the vice-presidents are clearly number two, never to outshine, publicly disagree with or establish an independent persona from the men who chose them. On an individual basis this work adheres to the prevailing story lines: Eisenhower treated Nixon like a lower level officer; the social distinctions between Kennedy and Johnson resulted in Lyndon being employed on largely insubstantial matters, deflating his ambitions despite his desperate efforts to ingratiate himself; LBJ humiliated Humphrey to make his term as miserable as what he had endured; Nixon and Agnew were a train wreck from the start and Ford kept his distance as Nixon slowly unraveled; Ford’s vision of utilizing Rockefeller’s vast experience crumbled under conservative opposition that made him the only modern vice-president to be dumped from the ticket; Carter made Mondale his top advisor and transformed the vice-president into a key fixture in the administration; Reagan accepted Bush as a necessity after Ford turned him down, but they forged a team, but not a close friendship; Bush’s choice of Quayle was surprising and not particularly successful; Clinton and Gore began as near bros and ended in mutual near contempt; although Cheney was, in the first term, the most powerful vice-president, his relationship with Bush was all business; Obama and Biden grew to affection; Pence walks the tight-rope while he tries to maintain a semblance of stability in a chaotic Trump White House.
I most appreciated the little-known facts picked up on these pages. I had heard that Ike and Nixon had an agreement on how Nixon would act if Ike were alive but incapacitated. Here we read of some of its details. The extensive account of VP vetting was fascinating. Obama’s plea that Biden not sell his house to help his family and Pence’s consultation with Cheney and Biden reveal the human side of the political class.
Author Kate Andersen Brower has crafted a very readable and informative account of this most complex and uniquely American pas-de-deux.
August 22, 2018
"Your job is to help support the President."
"No, Leo, my job is to have a pulse."
This exchange is from the show The West Wing when President Bartlet's Chief of Staff Leo McGarry has a conversation with the Vice President, John Hoynes. I feel that this exchange is how people view the Vice Presidency. On the one hand, the Vice President is there to help the President run the country, but on the other hand, it can literally seem like all they're there for is to be there in case something terrible happens to the President.
The author does point out that there is so much more to being the Vice President. Even though in the Constitution all it really says us that the Vice President breaks ties in the Senate, which doesn't happen all that often. Also, the Vice President is a "heartbeat away" from the Presidency. So like I said before, in case anything bad happens, like the President dies or somehow otherwise incapacitated, the Vice President will take over, as it says in the 25th Amendment. Presidents have had vastly different relationships with their Vice Presidents. Joe Biden and Barack Obama became very close friends, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney were more like business partners, etc. Kennedy and Johnson didn't really see eye to eye on anything, and seemed more like "frienenemies" (for lack of a better word). They give Presidents advice on a variety of subjects, like foreign policy.
While much of the time I liked the subject matter, at times I felt that it was written to simply. Like she was trying to explain everything to a class of high schoolers or something. I also didn't like all the coverage of Mike Pence, the current VP. I understand that she needed to be fair and include the VPs of both political parties, but there was something weird about how much she wrote about him in particular. I don't know, maybe it was just me.
"No, Leo, my job is to have a pulse."
This exchange is from the show The West Wing when President Bartlet's Chief of Staff Leo McGarry has a conversation with the Vice President, John Hoynes. I feel that this exchange is how people view the Vice Presidency. On the one hand, the Vice President is there to help the President run the country, but on the other hand, it can literally seem like all they're there for is to be there in case something terrible happens to the President.
The author does point out that there is so much more to being the Vice President. Even though in the Constitution all it really says us that the Vice President breaks ties in the Senate, which doesn't happen all that often. Also, the Vice President is a "heartbeat away" from the Presidency. So like I said before, in case anything bad happens, like the President dies or somehow otherwise incapacitated, the Vice President will take over, as it says in the 25th Amendment. Presidents have had vastly different relationships with their Vice Presidents. Joe Biden and Barack Obama became very close friends, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney were more like business partners, etc. Kennedy and Johnson didn't really see eye to eye on anything, and seemed more like "frienenemies" (for lack of a better word). They give Presidents advice on a variety of subjects, like foreign policy.
While much of the time I liked the subject matter, at times I felt that it was written to simply. Like she was trying to explain everything to a class of high schoolers or something. I also didn't like all the coverage of Mike Pence, the current VP. I understand that she needed to be fair and include the VPs of both political parties, but there was something weird about how much she wrote about him in particular. I don't know, maybe it was just me.
July 9, 2019
This book explores the relationship between presidents and their vice presidents since Truman was FDR’s vice president in 1945. One of the positives of the book was the portrayals of how the levers of power work at that level and how the most powerful officials in the country interact. The most prominent negative in the book is probably inevitable. Since presidents and vice presidents from both major parties are described, it would be exceedingly difficult not to let partisan bias color the treatment of leaders from the different parties, and such bias was quite detectable. The example that grabbed my attention the most is the difference in how Hilary Clinton and Karen Pence are portrayed. Both women were heavily involved in their husbands’ decision making as governors, and Hilary Clinton was the strongest first lady since Edith (Galt) Wilson took over some of President Wilson’s duties following his stroke. Yet, while Hilary Clinton’s heavy hand garnered neutral to positive coverage, there were ample quotes from Mike Pence’s gubernatorial staff expressing concern about Karen’s strong role in her husband’s administration. On account of this bias, I considered a two-star rating but decided on a three-star rating on account of the fairness the author showed Dan Quayle with regards to his infamous “potatoe” incident. He was lampooned for wrongly stating that a spelling bee contestant had left out the “e” at the end of potato. The problem was that a teacher had handed him a flash card with potato spelled with an “e”. In my industry, we call this an error trap, and he stepped right into it. To the author’s credit, she explained the situation rather than piling on like his detractors. In short, this book is a mixed bag. Some good information mixed in with some partisan bias. Caveat Lector.
January 24, 2022
A quick, smooth, easy read, very engaging writing.
A neat internal look at “the most insignificant office ever contrived” (John Adams) and its evolution into a powerful governing partner, and in one case, perhaps a shadow President (Dick Cheney).
Focusing on the modern Vice Presidency, the book details the Vice Presidencies of Dick Nixon (ignored and disregarded), Lyndon Johnson (ditto Nixon, with an element of contempt), Hubert Humphrey (humiliated and silenced), Spiro Agnew (forced to resign), Gerald Ford (installed as a political expedient), Nelson Rockefeller (chosen and chucked), Walter Mondale (the first modern VP of power and influence), George HW Bush (stepped back from the limelight until he stepped up), Dan Quayle (forever mocked and laughed at), Al Gore (brotherhood that turned into bitterness), Dick Cheney (the master manipulator), Joe Biden (the heart to his Prez’s head), and finally Mike Pence (the silent servant).
The theme that emerged, prior to Mondale, was one of ignorance, contempt, or even rivalry, edging over into humiliation. The Vice President has no officially described duties save presiding over the Senate and breaking ties, and assuming the Presidency. So why do so many seek it?
Well, because you are, truly, “a heartbeat away.” Of the men mentioned, five of them became President in their own right, and a sixth, Gore, came closer to winning without actually winning than any man in history. The chance to shape policy, and then to rise and shape history, is an allure worth the trials and tribulations
A neat internal look at “the most insignificant office ever contrived” (John Adams) and its evolution into a powerful governing partner, and in one case, perhaps a shadow President (Dick Cheney).
Focusing on the modern Vice Presidency, the book details the Vice Presidencies of Dick Nixon (ignored and disregarded), Lyndon Johnson (ditto Nixon, with an element of contempt), Hubert Humphrey (humiliated and silenced), Spiro Agnew (forced to resign), Gerald Ford (installed as a political expedient), Nelson Rockefeller (chosen and chucked), Walter Mondale (the first modern VP of power and influence), George HW Bush (stepped back from the limelight until he stepped up), Dan Quayle (forever mocked and laughed at), Al Gore (brotherhood that turned into bitterness), Dick Cheney (the master manipulator), Joe Biden (the heart to his Prez’s head), and finally Mike Pence (the silent servant).
The theme that emerged, prior to Mondale, was one of ignorance, contempt, or even rivalry, edging over into humiliation. The Vice President has no officially described duties save presiding over the Senate and breaking ties, and assuming the Presidency. So why do so many seek it?
Well, because you are, truly, “a heartbeat away.” Of the men mentioned, five of them became President in their own right, and a sixth, Gore, came closer to winning without actually winning than any man in history. The chance to shape policy, and then to rise and shape history, is an allure worth the trials and tribulations
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