Tippecanoe and Lincoln: Coalitions

In 1804, the office of Vice President devolved into one of geopolitical accommodation.

Geopolitical Accommodation:

After the tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr in the Presidential election of 1800, Aaron Burr became Vice President, according to the premise that the presidential runner-up would be VP.  A Constitutional Amendment was created shortly thereafter, mandating that voting for the office of VP would be separate from that of the President.

The office of VP was devalued with Aaron Burr.

Meanwhile, Burr proved to be a difficult and divisive Vice President, and the office would be devalued precipitously. There were instances when months and even years passed with no Vice President, a situation by the way, that would continue up till the time of Lyndon Johnson!

While the office of President was an important one, the office of VP became honorable, ceremonial, but a generally empty position. The only ameliorating factor seemed…