For much of American history, there was no clear answer to what happens when the president is unable to serve. A documentary called “The American Vice President” explores that question with a focus on how the assassination of President John F. Kennedy forced the country to grapple with the rules of succession.
The film premieres at 8 p.m. Tuesday on PBS, immediately before the nationally televised vice presidential debate between U.S. Senator JD Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
On Cincinnati Edition, we discuss the evolution of the American vice presidency and its growing significance in recent elections.
Guests:
- Michelle Ferrari, writer, producer and director, "The American Vice President"
- Joel Goldstein, author, “The Modern American Vice Presidency: The Transformation of a Political Institution” and “The White House Vice Presidency: The Path to Significance, Mondale to Biden.”
Ways to listen to this show:
- Tune in live at noon ET M-F. Call 513-419-7100 or email talk@wvxu.org to have your voice heard on today’s topic.
- Catch the replay on 91.7 WVXU and 88.5 WMUB at 8 p.m. ET M-F.
- Listen on-demand. Audio for this segment will be uploaded to this page by 4 p.m. ET., or subscribe to our podcast.