With the presidential primary election nearing its end, the US is entering that quadrennial period when the eyes of the world turn to this critically insignificant job. It promises to be among the most important ever. That’s not because anyone expects the next vice-president to repeat the oddly exceptional role of the current one. There may have been times when people wished that Dick Cheney was in a cataleptic state, but he has been unusually engaged...

In Mr McCain’s case the choice could be especially important. He is 72 years old and would be the oldest man ever to become president. That means his vice-president must truly be ready to take the reins from day one in the job... Mr McCain is left looking for a young, experienced, capable conservative Republican, preferably with a particular gender or ethnic appeal. There aren’t too many of those about, even in America.

Excerpted from Gerald Baker’s ‘Who’ll win the most insignificant job?’ in The Times London, April 4