[stupac2]

[quote author=Mick link=topic=14948.msg161324#msg161324 date=1461619727]

My 20 year old just taught me a new acronym, SJW or "Social Justice Warriors."

Doesn't an acronym have to be pronounceable?
[/quote]

Yes, that would be an initialism.

[quote author=Boston Card link=topic=14948.msg161311#msg161311 date=1461607845]
Well, the most likely path from VP to President is due to the death of a sitting president; it has happened 8 times, most recently after JFK's assassination; there was also Nixon's resignation, but then again, Ford was appointed, not elected.  Vice Presidents subsequently getting elected hasn't happened as often as you might think; only five have, and, aside from George HW Bush it hasn't happened all that often recently.  There's Bush and Nixon, and before that Martin Van Buren, and before that it was Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.

BC

VPs don't win that many presidential elections in absolute terms, but if I wanted to be President (which I don't), I would rather be VP than hold any other office to build a resume.  This article is hardly exhaustive, but it was the first thing that popped up on Google about VPs getting their party's nomination and getting elected:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/vice...4701ab15.  The fact that 9 VPs got the nomination and all 5 sitting VPs got the nomination seems like good evidence to support my intuition. 
[/quote]

There's a tendency for party control to flip when there's not an incumbent running, so a sitting VP would be at a disadvantage there. So tactically there are multiple considerations. Being VP gives the highest chance of securing a nomination if you seek it, but because you're running after a same-party incumbent you're less likely to win office. If you're a senator/governor/whoever, you can sit out until you're challenging the other team (at least if you're young enough). Of course, unless you're Nixon these windows don't come up that often, so you'd usually take it if you can get it, unless being President isn't your goal.

[stupac2]

[quote author=Mick link=topic=14948.msg161324#msg161324 date=1461619727]

My 20 year old just taught me a new acronym, SJW or "Social Justice Warriors."

Doesn't an acronym have to be pronounceable?
[/quote]

Yes, that would be an initialism.

[quote author=Boston Card link=topic=14948.msg161311#msg161311 date=1461607845]
Well, the most likely path from VP to President is due to the death of a sitting president; it has happened 8 times, most recently after JFK's assassination; there was also Nixon's resignation, but then again, Ford was appointed, not elected.  Vice Presidents subsequently getting elected hasn't happened as often as you might think; only five have, and, aside from George HW Bush it hasn't happened all that often recently.  There's Bush and Nixon, and before that Martin Van Buren, and before that it was Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.

BC

VPs don't win that many presidential elections in absolute terms, but if I wanted to be President (which I don't), I would rather be VP than hold any other office to build a resume.  This article is hardly exhaustive, but it was the first thing that popped up on Google about VPs getting their party's nomination and getting elected:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/vice...4701ab15.  The fact that 9 VPs got the nomination and all 5 sitting VPs got the nomination seems like good evidence to support my intuition. 
[/quote]

There's a tendency for party control to flip when there's not an incumbent running, so a sitting VP would be at a disadvantage there. So tactically there are multiple considerations. Being VP gives the highest chance of securing a nomination if you seek it, but because you're running after a same-party incumbent you're less likely to win office. If you're a senator/governor/whoever, you can sit out until you're challenging the other team (at least if you're young enough). Of course, unless you're Nixon these windows don't come up that often, so you'd usually take it if you can get it, unless being President isn't your goal.