Vice Presidents & Policy

AP/IB USII
“Vice Presidents who have succeeded to the presidency on the death of the President have been less effective in their conduct of domestic and foreign policy than the men they replaced.” Assess the validity of this statement for FDR and Harry S Truman, JFK and LBJ.
In accordance with the Articles of the Constitution, when Vice Presidents succeed to the Presidency, they serve the remainder of the term, so the next election year proceeds as scheduled. In 1945, Vice President Truman succeeded President Franklin D. Roosevelt after his death. On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas by Lee Harvey Oswald. Two hours after the death of his predecessor, Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President on Air Force One at Love Field Airport in Dallas. Truman did his part in continuing Roosevelt’s excellence in domestic and foreign affairs, and Johnson was not able to continue President Kennedy’s strong force on both the domestic and foreign front. Neither of the two successors was significantly less effective than their predecessors.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt stayed in office for four terms as an effective leader on the foreign and domestic front. He is, to this day, recognized as one of the best Presidents in United States History. He instituted the New Deal to save the nation from the economic crisis and brought the country back on its feet with numerous domestic acts to try to salvage what was left of the economy. He also led the United States through World War II, which helped to save the economy as well by providing numerous jobs for the unemployed on the home front. He helped finance and supply the Allies and bring them to victory. Roosevelt also played a critical role in shaping the post-war world, particularly through the Yalta Conference and the creation of the United Nations. When he died during his fourth term and Vice President Truman took over in office, the nation continued to thrive. He faced many...