( CNN ) -- `` The vice-presidency is n't worth a pitcher of warm piss . '' Those famous words were uttered by John Nance Garner to describe the office he held from 1933 to 1941 . And John Adams , our nation 's first vice president , described the position as : `` ... the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived . '' If the vice presidency is such a useless position , why are so many people now vying to be Mitt Romney 's running mate ? Because they know it might just be the best job in the country -- or at least in the federal government . Being vice president is like being one of the lesser Kardashian sisters ( whatever their names are ) . Kim -- who is in essence the `` president '' of the clan -- is a household name , but she is also subject to a lot more scrutiny and pressure . Her sisters , however , are similar to our VP : they are paid great , treated like celebrities , and have almost no responsibilities . Look at some of the perks of being vice president : An annual salary of about $ 230,000 , a beautiful house , a jet plane , limo service , a staff and even your own seal . All that is missing is a few product endorsement deals and the vice president truly would be a Kardashian . But wait , there are even more benefits , such as safety . Reprehensibly , a few our past presidents have been assassinated . But no one shoots at the veep . In fact , our vice presidents have shot other people . Dick Cheney shot his friend in the face just a few years ago . And in 1804 , Vice President Aaron Burr had an infamous duel in which he shot and killed the former secretary of the Treasury , Alexander Hamilton . And we think that today 's political climate is rough . Another bonus of being VP : very few constitutionally mandated obligations . The president has too many responsibilities to list . But the VP has only three : 1. president of the Senate -- which is ceremonial position ; 2 . Cast the tie breaking vote if the Senate is ever deadlocked ; and 3 . Accept the tally of the Electoral College for the presidential election `` in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives . '' There are assistant managers at McDonald 's who have more daily job responsibilities than our vice president . Indeed , there were 16 times in our nation 's history that the office was vacant -- and in many cases for years at a time . It was not until 1967 that the 25th Amendment was adopted to establish a mechanism to replace a vice president if he left office midterm . Apparently , no one really cared too much before then if the vice presidency was vacant . Arguably the most painful responsibility for a sitting VP comes if he runs for president and loses . The VP is still required by the Constitution to read the name of the person who beat him in the presence of the entire Congress -- like Al Gore did in 2000 . Awkward ? Yes . Lots of work ? No . And then there are the intangible benefits . For example , not too many people want your job . People grow up dreaming of being president . You do n't hear kids say : `` One day I hope to grow up and be elected to the second-highest position in the federal government . '' No . We are a nation of alphas , not betas . Plus , the media and political opponents do n't pounce on every syllable the VP utters like they do with the president and presidential candidates . ( I propose that any person running for president be read in essence a presidential `` Miranda warning '' explaining to him/her that anything they say , can and will be used against them -- even words taken out of context or are ones said by unnamed campaign advisors . ) In contrast , the VP has the luxury to say stupid things . Our current one , Joe Biden , is famous for them . His `` best '' may have been when he offered his public condolences to the prime minister of Ireland for the passing of his mother . The only problem was that the prime minister 's mother was still very much alive . But the modern day `` president '' of vice presidential gaffes had to be J. Danforth Quayle , a.k.a . Dan Quayle . This guy made George W. Bush sound like a philosopher king . Quayle made such `` insightful `` statements as : `` Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child . '' And this gem : `` The future will be better tomorrow . '' Soon , Mitt Romney -- ironically the person seeking possibly the worst job in our nation -- will tell us whom he has chosen to possibly serve in the best job in our nation . At this point , speculation abounds who that person will be . But whoever is nominated for VP should heed these sage words offered by Dan Quayle : `` One word sums up probably the responsibility of any vice president , and that one word is 'to be prepared . ' '' The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dean Obeidallah .
Dean Obeidallah : Many say VP is a useless position , but it may be the best job in the country . He says it 's like being a lesser Kardashian : perks , benefits , salary and almost no responsibilities . Other examples are : no one wants your job , no one shoots at you ; easy to stay stupid things . Obeidallah : Quayle had a word for responsibility , and ` ` that the word is ' to be prepared ' ''