Who chooses Vice Presidential candidates in the United States?

Answer 1

They are selected by the candidate for President, usually with the advice of his party, advisers and political cronies. Since they run for office as a team it is wise if the VP can bring something to the ticket and wiser still if they can somehow bring camaraderie or at least mutual respect to the voters attention. In modern times most have been at least competent, had been thoroughly vetted, had name recognition and voter appeal.

Harry Truman was an unknown to the public but FDR required no help during WWII to win the fourth term. He became an accidental President, and a good one.

Millard Fillmore was an unknown as VP, brought some New York Votes to Zachary Taylor and was an unknown when he became an accidental President.

Richard Nixon brought nothing, but Ike needed nothing after winning Europe in WWII. When he selected Spiro Agnew there was lapse in the vetting process, but Nixon may have been a poor choice to do moral quality control anyway.

JFK had a cultured image and chose LBJ, a back room political brawler and deal maker who learned culture in Texas (Enough said.)

George H. W. Bush was certainly the most qualified to become a US President of any VP since John Adams and Thomas Jefferson had been Vice President. His choice for VP was considered an intellectual impairment to the office by both the public and the media.

George W. Bush selected a poor man to be around when he has a loaded gun and a political hatchet man who had served his father well. He brought political knowledge and skill to the ticket along with a touch of venom.

Joe Biden could offer the ticket Delaware which doesn't amount to much in the electoral college, but at 67 he is probably unelectable even if President Obama fails to win a second term. That alone may have made him a desirable choice for career politicians and the Boys in the Smoking Backroom.

Good ones, yes, we've had a few, and if the Presidency remain uneventful they are most often lost to history, All served and waited. A rare few succeeded to the Oval Office, and many that did became accidental Presidents.