The vice president is a president but for the oath

From where I am as I start to write this, the Globe signal creeps to a crawl by 10 a.m. That is if it even creeps at all and not drop dead altogether. This plus the fact that I do not want my own column-deadline monkey astride my shoulders to start screaming into my ears, I have to start putting this down early morning Thursday and not wait for Leni, the anticipated big bang for the day.

And to avoid what we call in journalism as getting overtaken by events -- in the hot field of presidential politics--  let us just slide down a step lower to the arena of vice presidents, where things are bound to be less contentious, even if a vice president should nowhere be any less presidential. He or she is, after all, a president but for the oath, mandated upon election to take over in case something happens.

In fact this has always been my beef with Leni, how she can be so indecisive about running for president when, but for the oath, she was already a president upon her election as vice president. That she just doesn't get it is the main reason why I think this time she should not stand up for election for the office to which she already owns the concurrent entitlement. The VP is the only official mandated to hold two positions.

But that is for another story for another time. The vice presidential race, if for that alone, should be no less exciting. In electing vice presidents we are actually also electing presidents. And the field that is known so far --Tito Sotto, Bong Go, Lito Atienza, Willie Ong-- should already give us, at least in my opinion, a very clear choice of who is the most presidential among the vice presidential wannabes.

Tito Sotto has the experience, the knowledge, the fortitude and the bearing to be president via the vice presidency. He is the running mate of Ping Lacson and he would make a perfect pair if they both win. But it is a tough fight for the presidency. It is easier in the vice presidential race, with easier being probably less contentious or acrimonious. More gentlemanly, I would think.

And there is no greater gentleman in that field than Sotto. But do you know why I am purposely skirting the issue of qualifications? That is because there will be all the time for that. That is where the marbles get invariably played. That is where the pitching of the longest piss will be made. I want to go to the little nuances that can complete a man, make him fit for himself, his job, his country.

If I may offer, for example, some unsolicited advice to the campaign of Tito Sotto, to Team Tito, I would make a big splash about the longevity of his marriage to Helen Gamboa. Tito married Helen in 1969. That they are still married today means they have stayed married for 52 years already. That is pretty unusual but pleasantly surprising for a couple who are both celebrities.

Why harp on marriage, especially as a consideration for high office? Simple. Because marriage is a test of maturity, of responsibility, of willingess to sacrifice, even to die for if necessary. It teaches love. And if you can love, you can serve. You can be selfless. There is so much in the strength of marriage that can make for a sound foundation in public office.

I do not know if there is such a thing as a Catholic vote, although I know for a fact that, singly, Catholics easily outnumber voters of any other religion, sect or denomination. With marriage being such a big thing with the Catholic Church, maybe the usually noisy prelates in the Church may do well to channel their decibels toward electoral support for Tito.