The second most powerful position in U.S. politics is that of the vice president, who has plenty of influence over the nation. In addition, holding this office can help him or her prepare to launch an election campaign to one day become the President of the United States. Here are some of the most prominent U.S. Presidents who started out as the vice president to someone else.
Theodore Roosevelt
After becoming a Spanish-American war hero, Roosevelt was named as the running mate to William McKinley who ran for president in 1900. When McKinley was shockingly assassinated in 1901, Roosevelt assumed the office of president. Intriguingly, Roosevelt was also the victim of an assassination attempt, however, he lived to tell the tale.
Calvin Coolidge
Previously serving as the lieutenant governor and governor of Massachusetts, Warren Harding selected Coolidge as his vice presidential pick in 1920. In 1923, Harding abruptly passed away due to a heart attack. Coolidge subsequently took over as president, winning the 1924 election. He decided not to seek reelection in 1928, however, never revealing his reason for exiting politics.
George H.W. Bush
A former aviator during World War II, Bush served as Ronald Reagan’s vice president for both of his presidential terms. In 1988, Bush senior decided that the time had come to step up to the biggest political stage. He ran for president, defeating Mike Dukakis to become America’s 41st president.