In 1976 Bob Dole was asked why he wanted to be Gerald Ford’s Vice President. He replied “inside job with no heavy lifting.” Which was poignant because Mr. Dole didn’t have use of his right arm due to his WWII injuries.
Great post. I learned a lot. I've never agreed with the "warm spit" or "warm piss" idea. Almost no one says that a Senator's job is nothing. But the VP is more powerful, at least in Senate votes, than any Senator.
The vice presidency has become more important in recent years. In 1965, Tom Lehrer could sing "Whatever Became of Hubert? // Has anyone heard a thing?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF3sEZ7M4h0. ("Second fiddle's a hard part, I know // When they won't even give you a bow.") Jimmy Carter really changed the office by giving Walter Mondale some actual responsibilities.
I could have added another anecdote here. When Grover Cleveland secretly had a large chunk of his cancerous jaw removed during the Panic of 1893, they kept the news from Vice President Adlai Stevenson, who might well have assumed the reins of power under the somewhat vague constitutional provisions that existed before the 25th Amendment. They went so far as to send him the West Coast to prevent him from learning what was happening.
As a Illinois resident, I'm somewhat embarrassed that I had no idea of the lineage of Adlai Stevenson went back that far.
Adlai II was immortalized by his apocryphal comment on the electorate (“Every thinking person in America will be voting for you.” "But I need a majority."), and Adlai III was still a player in Illinois politics into the 1980s, but didn't know the family went back that far.
I think all subsequent Adlais (no clue as to the plural form) have since gone on to find more respectable lines of work.
Funny apocryphal quote by Adlai, and it leads to an interesting Place. Stevenson was (is?) regarded as the ultimate intellectual-as-nominee. But That is actually a stretch. He was perceived as an egghead because, well, his high hairline made him look like a literal egghead, because he had a haughty air about him, and because he was, indeed, quite witty. But it has been noted in later years that he wasn't particularly well-read; the iconic story is that after he died suddenly in the streets of London, the only book found in his nightstand was the Social Register. Just a list of rich and stuffy people, and nothing to stretch the mind.
Thank you for, once again, allowing us to benefit from your encyclopedic knowledge. Especially enjoyed learning the background of several popular sayings.
This goes under fascinating. I thought I knew American history but not this well. H.L. Mencken once wrote an essay on various VP's showing they were not such nonentities as people thought.
Great essay, although I see it’s from two months ago - I need to check your site more often. I enjoyed the AI generated caricature of Fairbanks, though I have to say that he was definitely more toward the Elmer Fudd scale of Looney Tunes characters (the real Yosemite Sam back then was none other than TR). Here’s a brief article I wrote about him some years ago in my capacity as an amateur historian of Hoosier history:
Charles Warren Fairbanks, the most significant Indiana Republican of the post-Harrison generation, was born on May 11 1852 in a log cabin near Union Center OH (the last man elected to the Executive Branch to have entered the world under the roof of that fabled American domicile). Fairbanks graduated from Ohio Wesleyan College in 1872, and was admitted to the Ohio Bar that same year. After a brief stint as an Associated Press reporter, he moved to Indianapolis in 1874 to serve as an attorney for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. He remained a resident of Indianapolis until his death in 1918.
Fairbanks made his initial political foray as a supporter of Harrison’s arch-rival Walter Gresham (also an Indianapolis resident) for the 1888 GOP nomination, although he was careful to maintain a cordial relationship with Harrison as well. After Harrison’s defeat in 1892 (and Gresham’s death in 1893), Fairbanks quickly secured a leadership role in the Indiana GOP. He first achieved national prominence as the keynote speaker at the 1896 Republican convention, and was elected to the Senate the following year.
Fairbanks joined the Senate the same day that his close friend William McKinley became President. Fairbanks, one of McKinley’s strongest allies, fostered Presidential aspirations of his own, and hoped to succeed his friend in 1904. But McKinley’s assassination and Theodore Roosevelt’s ascension drastically altered the political landscape in ways quite inauspicious to Fairbanks. Roosevelt regarded him with contempt, and favored Indiana’s other Senator, Albert Beveridge, often at the expense of Fairbanks’ ability to obtain federal patronage.
Roosevelt grudgingly accepted Fairbanks as his running mate in 1904 as a sop to the “Old Guard,” as well as a nod to Indiana’s electoral importance. Fairbanks was likewise reluctant but was persuaded that his acceptance of the nomination would secure party unity. The satirical “Mr. Dooley” (aka Finley Peter Dunne) declared, "Th' way they got Sinitor Fairbanks to accipt was by showin' him a pitcher iv our gr-reat an' noble prisidint thryin’ to jump a horse over a six-foot fence." Fairbanks’ membership in Roosevelt’s administration, however, did nothing to diminish their mutual antipathy. Roosevelt suspected him of disloyalty, even going so far as to bring a lawsuit for libel against The Indianapolis News, apparently in an attempt to prove that its anti-Roosevelt editorials were written at the behest of his own Vice-President (Fairbanks was often alleged to be the secret partner of John Holliday’s paper – and according to Indianapolis News reporter Hilton Brown, those suspicions were correct). Fairbanks felt no compunction against working with House Speaker Joseph Cannon to derail some of Roosevelt’s legislative proposals.
Senator Shelby Collum of Illinois described Fairbanks as “one of the most dignified, honest, straightforward, capable men with whom I have served.” Historian James H. Madison wrote that, “Fairbanks certainly looked like a president – tall, calm, dignified…” Others regarded him as a bland and colorless figure, as indicated by such nicknames as “Buttermilk Charlie” and the “Indiana Icicle.” TR biographer Edmund Morris wrote that, “Fairbanks moved and spoke as if he had no life of his own. His voice seemed to emanate from some inner Edison cylinder, and his gestures were correct but mechanical, as if jerked by hidden wires.” But Morris goes on to credit Fairbanks with one great talent: “He simply could not be stopped. The voice droned on relentlessly, the arms kept pumping, and the long legs kept striding……If Roosevelt demonstrated the power of personality in American politics, Fairbanks showed the benefits of persistence.”
Opinion on Fairbanks may have varied, but all agreed that his most significant asset was his charming and gracious spouse, Cornelia Cole Fairbanks. After their marriage in 1874, she was his closest adviser on all legal and political matters. A leader in the suffrage movement, she was also a popular hostess in both Indianapolis and Washington, and served as the Secretary-General of the DAR from 1901-1905.
Fairbanks’ 1908 Presidential aspirations were fatally damaged during a reception for Roosevelt at his Meridian Street mansion on Memorial Day 1907. As preparations for the President’s arrival were being made by Indianapolis Mayor Charlie Bookwalter, one of his party asked if cocktails would be served. “My God, I forgot all about cocktails. The President will expect an appetizer.” Bookwalter telephoned for 40 bottled cocktails. The avidly Prohibitionist Fairbanks, mortified to learn that alcohol was being served at his premises, fell victim to the eternal unfairness of political life; “If Fairbanks had mixed them or served them by hand himself there could not have been a wider or louder clacking of tongues,” wrote Hilton Brown. “Buttermilk Charlie” was now ridiculed under the new sobriquet of “Cocktail Charlie.” At the next Gridiron Dinner, Fairbanks was serenaded with some new lyrics to the tune of The Banks of the Wabash.
Oh, the cocktails they are crowing in the morning;
And the buttermilk is flowing through the hay;
They are waiting the return of Mr. Fairbanks,
On the banks of the Wabash, far away.
At the 1908 convention, William Howard Taft won easily on the first ballot. Fairbanks finished fifth with only 40 votes.
After he left office, Fairbanks and his wife went on a year-long world tour, before returning home in March 2010. He resumed his law practice, and became an active member of the Indianapolis community, contributing both time and money to a number of charities and civic projects. He made one last attempt for public office as Charles Evans Hughes’ running mate in the 1916 election. His defeat marked his final appearance in the political arena. He died at home on June 4 1918, and was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery.
The Indiana Icicle’s most enduring legacy is the icy city of Fairbanks Alaska, which was named in his honor after he vigorously championed the integrity of that territory’s borders against Canadian claims. His mansion on 2940 N. Meridian, last occupied by the insurance company Indianapolis Life. The 10,000 square-foot mansion is currently available for lease through Cassidy-Turley Realtors.
Photo of Fairbanks & TR taken at the 1907 Indianapolis reception
The context of the "good five cent cigar" quip finally shows the wit. It is often presented as an example of complacent elitism. Thanks!
In 1976 Bob Dole was asked why he wanted to be Gerald Ford’s Vice President. He replied “inside job with no heavy lifting.” Which was poignant because Mr. Dole didn’t have use of his right arm due to his WWII injuries.
Great post. I learned a lot. I've never agreed with the "warm spit" or "warm piss" idea. Almost no one says that a Senator's job is nothing. But the VP is more powerful, at least in Senate votes, than any Senator.
The vice presidency has become more important in recent years. In 1965, Tom Lehrer could sing "Whatever Became of Hubert? // Has anyone heard a thing?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF3sEZ7M4h0. ("Second fiddle's a hard part, I know // When they won't even give you a bow.") Jimmy Carter really changed the office by giving Walter Mondale some actual responsibilities.
I could have added another anecdote here. When Grover Cleveland secretly had a large chunk of his cancerous jaw removed during the Panic of 1893, they kept the news from Vice President Adlai Stevenson, who might well have assumed the reins of power under the somewhat vague constitutional provisions that existed before the 25th Amendment. They went so far as to send him the West Coast to prevent him from learning what was happening.
As a Illinois resident, I'm somewhat embarrassed that I had no idea of the lineage of Adlai Stevenson went back that far.
Adlai II was immortalized by his apocryphal comment on the electorate (“Every thinking person in America will be voting for you.” "But I need a majority."), and Adlai III was still a player in Illinois politics into the 1980s, but didn't know the family went back that far.
I think all subsequent Adlais (no clue as to the plural form) have since gone on to find more respectable lines of work.
Funny apocryphal quote by Adlai, and it leads to an interesting Place. Stevenson was (is?) regarded as the ultimate intellectual-as-nominee. But That is actually a stretch. He was perceived as an egghead because, well, his high hairline made him look like a literal egghead, because he had a haughty air about him, and because he was, indeed, quite witty. But it has been noted in later years that he wasn't particularly well-read; the iconic story is that after he died suddenly in the streets of London, the only book found in his nightstand was the Social Register. Just a list of rich and stuffy people, and nothing to stretch the mind.
Thank you for, once again, allowing us to benefit from your encyclopedic knowledge. Especially enjoyed learning the background of several popular sayings.
This goes under fascinating. I thought I knew American history but not this well. H.L. Mencken once wrote an essay on various VP's showing they were not such nonentities as people thought.
History at its delightful best...
A great essay for a Saturday with some great insight. It will be interesting to see how things turn out!
Great essay, although I see it’s from two months ago - I need to check your site more often. I enjoyed the AI generated caricature of Fairbanks, though I have to say that he was definitely more toward the Elmer Fudd scale of Looney Tunes characters (the real Yosemite Sam back then was none other than TR). Here’s a brief article I wrote about him some years ago in my capacity as an amateur historian of Hoosier history:
Charles Warren Fairbanks, the most significant Indiana Republican of the post-Harrison generation, was born on May 11 1852 in a log cabin near Union Center OH (the last man elected to the Executive Branch to have entered the world under the roof of that fabled American domicile). Fairbanks graduated from Ohio Wesleyan College in 1872, and was admitted to the Ohio Bar that same year. After a brief stint as an Associated Press reporter, he moved to Indianapolis in 1874 to serve as an attorney for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. He remained a resident of Indianapolis until his death in 1918.
Fairbanks made his initial political foray as a supporter of Harrison’s arch-rival Walter Gresham (also an Indianapolis resident) for the 1888 GOP nomination, although he was careful to maintain a cordial relationship with Harrison as well. After Harrison’s defeat in 1892 (and Gresham’s death in 1893), Fairbanks quickly secured a leadership role in the Indiana GOP. He first achieved national prominence as the keynote speaker at the 1896 Republican convention, and was elected to the Senate the following year.
Fairbanks joined the Senate the same day that his close friend William McKinley became President. Fairbanks, one of McKinley’s strongest allies, fostered Presidential aspirations of his own, and hoped to succeed his friend in 1904. But McKinley’s assassination and Theodore Roosevelt’s ascension drastically altered the political landscape in ways quite inauspicious to Fairbanks. Roosevelt regarded him with contempt, and favored Indiana’s other Senator, Albert Beveridge, often at the expense of Fairbanks’ ability to obtain federal patronage.
Roosevelt grudgingly accepted Fairbanks as his running mate in 1904 as a sop to the “Old Guard,” as well as a nod to Indiana’s electoral importance. Fairbanks was likewise reluctant but was persuaded that his acceptance of the nomination would secure party unity. The satirical “Mr. Dooley” (aka Finley Peter Dunne) declared, "Th' way they got Sinitor Fairbanks to accipt was by showin' him a pitcher iv our gr-reat an' noble prisidint thryin’ to jump a horse over a six-foot fence." Fairbanks’ membership in Roosevelt’s administration, however, did nothing to diminish their mutual antipathy. Roosevelt suspected him of disloyalty, even going so far as to bring a lawsuit for libel against The Indianapolis News, apparently in an attempt to prove that its anti-Roosevelt editorials were written at the behest of his own Vice-President (Fairbanks was often alleged to be the secret partner of John Holliday’s paper – and according to Indianapolis News reporter Hilton Brown, those suspicions were correct). Fairbanks felt no compunction against working with House Speaker Joseph Cannon to derail some of Roosevelt’s legislative proposals.
Senator Shelby Collum of Illinois described Fairbanks as “one of the most dignified, honest, straightforward, capable men with whom I have served.” Historian James H. Madison wrote that, “Fairbanks certainly looked like a president – tall, calm, dignified…” Others regarded him as a bland and colorless figure, as indicated by such nicknames as “Buttermilk Charlie” and the “Indiana Icicle.” TR biographer Edmund Morris wrote that, “Fairbanks moved and spoke as if he had no life of his own. His voice seemed to emanate from some inner Edison cylinder, and his gestures were correct but mechanical, as if jerked by hidden wires.” But Morris goes on to credit Fairbanks with one great talent: “He simply could not be stopped. The voice droned on relentlessly, the arms kept pumping, and the long legs kept striding……If Roosevelt demonstrated the power of personality in American politics, Fairbanks showed the benefits of persistence.”
Opinion on Fairbanks may have varied, but all agreed that his most significant asset was his charming and gracious spouse, Cornelia Cole Fairbanks. After their marriage in 1874, she was his closest adviser on all legal and political matters. A leader in the suffrage movement, she was also a popular hostess in both Indianapolis and Washington, and served as the Secretary-General of the DAR from 1901-1905.
Fairbanks’ 1908 Presidential aspirations were fatally damaged during a reception for Roosevelt at his Meridian Street mansion on Memorial Day 1907. As preparations for the President’s arrival were being made by Indianapolis Mayor Charlie Bookwalter, one of his party asked if cocktails would be served. “My God, I forgot all about cocktails. The President will expect an appetizer.” Bookwalter telephoned for 40 bottled cocktails. The avidly Prohibitionist Fairbanks, mortified to learn that alcohol was being served at his premises, fell victim to the eternal unfairness of political life; “If Fairbanks had mixed them or served them by hand himself there could not have been a wider or louder clacking of tongues,” wrote Hilton Brown. “Buttermilk Charlie” was now ridiculed under the new sobriquet of “Cocktail Charlie.” At the next Gridiron Dinner, Fairbanks was serenaded with some new lyrics to the tune of The Banks of the Wabash.
Oh, the cocktails they are crowing in the morning;
And the buttermilk is flowing through the hay;
They are waiting the return of Mr. Fairbanks,
On the banks of the Wabash, far away.
At the 1908 convention, William Howard Taft won easily on the first ballot. Fairbanks finished fifth with only 40 votes.
After he left office, Fairbanks and his wife went on a year-long world tour, before returning home in March 2010. He resumed his law practice, and became an active member of the Indianapolis community, contributing both time and money to a number of charities and civic projects. He made one last attempt for public office as Charles Evans Hughes’ running mate in the 1916 election. His defeat marked his final appearance in the political arena. He died at home on June 4 1918, and was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery.
The Indiana Icicle’s most enduring legacy is the icy city of Fairbanks Alaska, which was named in his honor after he vigorously championed the integrity of that territory’s borders against Canadian claims. His mansion on 2940 N. Meridian, last occupied by the insurance company Indianapolis Life. The 10,000 square-foot mansion is currently available for lease through Cassidy-Turley Realtors.
Photo of Fairbanks & TR taken at the 1907 Indianapolis reception
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Roosevelt-Fairbanks.jpg
Cartoon of TR, with Fairbanks trapped in a block of ice
http://www.harpweek.com/09cartoon/BrowseByDateCartoon.asp?Month=August&Date=6