To What Extent Does the Personality of the American President Affect the Role that the Vice President Plays in Foreign Relations

Within this thesis the author will be analyzing the changing role that the American vice president (VP) plays in foreign relations. The role of the VP was created at the Constitutional Convention but it was something of an afterthought. The formal duties of the VP limited his influence in certain areas of policy for many years but in modern times there are some instances where the role of the VP has been expanded to include foreign policy. The author will be analyzing the historical roots of the office of the VP but will also be looking into his source of power in modern times. The president's personality and the affect that his personality has on the amount of power that the VP has will be a particular point of interest. To evaluate the amount of influence that the VP has in the foreign policy decision-making process, and to what extent the personality of the president plays in this process, two incidents of terrorist attacks on the United States during two different administrations will be analyzed. The role that the VP played in responding to these attacks will be an indicator of his newfound power.