John Nance Garner famously said that the office of the Vice President of the United States wasn’t worth a bucket of warm spit.

When I hear Sarah Palin say she’d expand the powers of the vice presidency, I become nostalgic for Nance’s traditional values:

PALIN: No, no. 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. John McCain and I have had good conversations about where I would lead with his agenda. That is energy independence in America and reform of government over all, and then working with families of children with special needs. That’s near and dear to my heart also. In those arenas, John McCain has already tapped me and said, that’s where I want you, I want you to lead. I said, I can’t wait to get and there go to work with you.

Just once, I’d like to hear a VP candidate promise to attend funerals and greet visiting potentates like Constitution intended.