Yet, the choice of a running mate from Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy’s home state, and, in fact, of someone who had already been soundly beaten by Kennedy in a senate race eight years earlier, seems in retrospect rather odd indeed.

In contrast to Richard Nixon’s energetic fifty-state marathon, Lodge’s hatred for the nuts and bolts of press-the-flesh campaigning translated into a monumentally lackluster performance.  He took long naps after lunch, refused evening appearances, and regularly canceled those scheduled in the afternoon.  One politico complained, “we didn’t mind him having a nap in the afternoon, but why did he have to put on his pajamas?”

Nixon had well-known problems with television that year, but Lodge’s work before the camera was far worse – the only redemption being that much of it never saw the light of day.  During one of many attempts to produce shows or spots, he botched his delivery so badly that several expensive hours worth of work had to be completely scrapped.

Because Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. could not carry his home state, function coherently on television, or work a full day on the campaign trail, Richard Nixon, for all practical purposes, conducted a solo campaign by default.  He was not helped at all by his running mate.  In fact, Lodge was a dead-weight drag on the ticket. And as the campaign reached the end, the Republican vice presidential nominee gathered his team in advance of election night to prepare a statement.  Margery Petersen, a Nixon secretary, was asked to type it up.  She later recalled: “When I saw it, I just couldn’t believe my eyes. It was a concession statement! I refused to type it.”  How’s that for a team player?

It is generally agreed that vice presidential candidates don’t usually affect the outcome of elections.  That may be true, but in 1960 there was a notable exception to this political rule of thumb.  Even Nixon himself reportedly admitted years later that his selection of Lodge was a mistake.

With all the talk about whether or not a vice presidential candidate is prepared for the presidency itself, the fact is that the most effective running mates have not been people who instantly resonated with voters as presidential.  On the contrary, the best of the lot have been good team players, hard campaigners, and politicians who understood that it wasn’t about them.  They balanced, complimented, and did their best to help the person in the top spot to win.

Whether or not a person who steps from some other duty to run for vice president is prepared at that moment for the actual presidency is not the real issue.  If elected, the vice presidency itself will provide ample training.

Sarah Palin may have a few things to learn in her new role as Republican vice presidential nominee, but she is certainly no Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.  She is a superb campaigner, compelling communicator, and charismatic crowd pleaser.  If John McCain is elected, he will make sure that she is prepared to become president, should circumstances ever call for that.

Of course, the real question is: Is anyone ever completely prepared to be president of the United States?