Just what would Sarah Palin do as vice president? Take 'charge' of the Senate?

Vice President Dick Cheney says it regularly: He rarely votes in the Senate, but when he does, the Bush side always wins.

That's because the vice president, as president of the Senate, only votes to break a tie.

Along comes Sarah Palin, ready to mix it up as the McCain administration's team leader in the Senate.

Responding to a third-grader's question about what the vice president does, she said:

A vice president has a really great job because not only are they there to support the president's agenda, they're like the team member, the teammate to that president. But also, they're in charge of the United States Senate, so if they want to, they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom. And it's a great job, and I look forward to having that job.

Well, as Cheney has pointed out, not quite.

It is pretty clear in the Constitution, Article I, Section 3:

The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

Palin's confusion led CBS News' Horserace blog to ask: "Would Palin Be 'In Charge' Of The Senate?"

Maria Comella, the Republican vice presidential candidate's spokeswoman, explained it all this way: "She was explaining in terms a third-grader could understand that the vice president is also president of the U.S. Senate."

In any case, Palin's mistake -- or, to use Comella's explanation, simplification -- is not uncommon.

As the Senate's own website notes, the job of vice president is "the least understood, most ridiculed, and most often ignored constitutional office in the federal government."

-- James Gerstenzang

Comments

[Kevin Kelley]

If she simplified this explanation for a third grader, what was her excuse during the debates? See below:

"Of course, we know what a vice president does. And that's not only to preside over the Senate and will take that position very seriously also. I'm thankful the Constitution would allow a bit more authority given to the vice president if that vice president so chose to exert it in working with the Senate and making sure that we are supportive of the president's policies and making sure too that our president understands what our strengths are."

"Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president. And we will do what is best for the American people in tapping into that position and ushering in an agenda that is supportive and cooperative with the president's agenda in that position. Yeah, so I do agree with him that we have a lot of flexibility in there, and we'll do what we have to do to administer very appropriately the plans that are needed for this nation."

[Kerry Kolsch]

Governor Palin is right and the media is wrong. The Constitution dose in fact make the VP the President of the Senate and has the sames powers in the Senate as the Speaker of the House in the House except that the President of the Senate can only vote when there is a tie. If the intentions of the founding fathers were to only grant the VP the power to vote if there was a tie, then they would have stated that. The Constitution states:

The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.

The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the office of President of the United States.

It is clear by the use of the term "other officers" that the VP is the chief officer of the Senate and that chief officer must do something the Constitution requires a President pro tempore must be chosen to act is the President is absent. Our early VPs took a very active role as Presidents of the Senate and just because in modern times they have advocated this power to the President pro tempore dose not mean that the VP dose not still hold this power if they wish to use it. The media has it wrong not Governor Palin.

[Linda]

Sarah Palin makes Elle from the movie 'Legally Blonde' look like a genius.

[BPL]

Sarah Palin, President of the Senate, how does that not scare the jebezus out everyone...

Its like saying candyman five times...

Sarah Palin, President of the Senate
Sarah Palin, President of the Senate
Sarah Palin, President of the Senate
Sarah Palin, President of the ...

[Anna Fox]

Let's see Gov. Palin half the time does not know what part of the country she is in; can't explain her role as Vice President, but sure knows how to spend $150K on clothes!
McCain wants to TAX our health benefits!! Let's be real, a $ 5000 credit towards health insurance will not do anything besides make Americans reach into their pockets more! He thinks having health insurance is a right! He has NEVER had to worry about money or health insurance.
McCain wants to freeze spending, but his very next sentence is we need more programs for this or that. At least Obama is saying that we are going to have to spend some money to make some money back--that is realistic!
McCain wants nuclear power--haven't we just spend the last several years trying to disarm nuclear weapons. If we start using it to generate power, what do you think those with evil in their blood will do with more availability of nuclear power--I can bet they won't be using it as an alternative to energy!

[Anna Fox]

Let's see Gov. Palin half the time does not know what part of the country she is in; can't explain her role as Vice President, but sure knows how to spend $150K on clothes!
McCain wants to TAX our health benefits!! Let's be real, a $ 5000 credit towards health insurance will not do anything besides make Americans reach into their pockets more! He thinks having health insurance is a right! He has NEVER had to worry about money or health insurance.
McCain wants to freeze spending, but his very next sentence is we need more programs for this or that. At least Obama is saying that we are going to have to spend some money to make some money back--that is realistic!
McCain wants nuclear power--haven't we just spend the last several years trying to disarm nuclear weapons. If we start using it to generate power, what do you think those with evil in their blood will do with more availability of nuclear power--I can bet they won't be using it as an alternative to energy!

[Reuel]

Constitution VP is President of the senate so as President of the senate he/she takes charge of the senate (in the same way the speaker takes charge of the house of representatives).
VP do not vote in the senate unless there is a tie.
Speaker has a vote in the house.

[Dina]

This was no "simplification". If there's one concept a third-grader can understand it's the concept of a "tie" and a "tie-breaker". If she wanted to be simple, she could have just said the VP goes in breaks ties when both sides votes equal the same score/number. The VP decides which side wins.

A child understands that. The problem is that she doesn't even know what her role would be in government. This is a travesty. If McCain wanted women to vote for him, he could've at least sought out a respectable Republical woman who was intelligent, savvy, intellectual, and articulate. Instead insults us by presenting us with Palin...as if to say he looked but the pickings were slim. There were no highly-qualified Republican women in the pool.

What an insult and shame on you McCain!

[Avoid Obamanation]

Hey you that wrote this:

"Before Ms. Palin explained to an impressionable third-grader what the job of Vice President entails, she should have read up on it herself. Maybe she thought there would be some literature in the desk?
Someone should tell Ms. Palin that a person can't get by on her looks forever. Eventually the electorate is going to expect her to actually know something about how the United States government operates."

Gettin all big and wordy ain't ya. I believe she is married making her MRS. Palin.
You liberals talk big and hard. I'm glad you have all this time to complain while my tax dollars pay your welfare.

[Wade]

"Gettin all big and wordy ain't ya. I believe she is married making her MRS. Palin.
You liberals talk big and hard. I'm glad you have all this time to complain while my tax dollars pay your welfare." Gee, I am so sorry I am able to write.

You are the one who presumes that I am A) Overeducated; and B) On welfare. It's logic like that that propels someone like you to vote for Ms. Palin the Empty Dress.

Obviously you are very bitter and jealous. Is that how you feel toward Obama and/or anyone else who is successful? Maybe you should take a time-out to think about your feelings.

[Bob]

Let's see. About 30 responses so far, almost all remarking on Palin’s lack of knowledge and stupidity for not knowing the Constitution. Too bad for you all critics that she’s actually correct and Biden is the one who doesn’t know the constitution. The VP presides over the Senate and although they only vote in the case of a tie, they still carry the gavel and, if they choose, can maintain a great deal of control over the proceedings in the Senate and actively participate. Our early founding fathers who wrote the Constitution made it that way and played it that way.

Biden was asked the same question from the same third grader and gave a completely different answer than his (constitutionally incorrect) answer from the VP debate. In fact, his answer was pretty much the same as Palin’s except he ignored the fact that the VP presides over the Senate. The executive role of VP as presidential advisor and active cabinet member is a relatively recent development.

[Seraph]

I don't see what she said that is so incorrect?!

Quote: "...so if they want to, they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes..."

She's not saying that she would have complete control and be able to do whatever she wants, she says 'get in there with the senators'. Would she not even be able to voice her opinion? It seems like semantics, not stupidity.

[Stephen McAllister]

What is really a head problem is Sarah Palin has a BS from the University of Idaho in communications and journalism.

[reuelt]

Article I, Section 3 of Consititution.

The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

So the slanted media thinks that the "President of the Senate" does NOT take charge of the senate? VP does not normally vote (except to break a tie) because small or big states all have equal number of senators and senate votes reflect the states.
The President of the Senate's function is like the speaker of the house of representative.

Biden is even WORSE. In in VP debate, he said that Article 1 speaks about the executive branch. WRONG. Article 1 speaks about the legislative branch.