| There has been a phenomenon in the post-WWII era in which the vice presidency has witnessed much greater foreign-policy activity among its occupants. This increased foreign-policy involvement has been prodded primarily by statutory changes made by President Harry S Truman and by the foreign-policy activities of five key vice presidents--Richard Nixon, Walter Mondale, George Bush, Dan Quayle, and Al Gore. This study illuminates the active foreign-policy roles of those five vice presidents.;More importantly, the study explores lessons learned from the foreign-policy experiences of these five men. For instance, the often successful foreign-policy activities of these vice presidents has prompted a number of scholars to suggest enhanced foreign-policy roles for future second-office holders. Yet, while these five vice presidents were indeed actively involved in White House foreign policy, did their foreign-policy involvement qualitatively effect (positively or negatively) each administration's foreign policy? Did it make a difference? If so, or if not, can we draw lessons from their experiences that may serve as useful policy recommendations for future administrations? Do we have good reason to approve or reject an enhanced foreign-policy role for future vice presidents? How, specifically, might the vice president be used in foreign-policy making? Obviously, whether the vice president can help White House foreign policy depends upon the evidence. This study investigates conflicting claims. |
