I agree that Truman was different than recent VP's. 
But remember, his selection was very different as well.
Truman did not seek the vice-presidency. Democratic leaders, in 1944, could see that FDR's health was rapidly declining. They feared that FDR would die in office.These leaders did not like the sitting VP, Henry Wallace. So, at the convention, they threw Wallace off the ticket and nominated Truman. FDR's second choice after Wallace was a guy named Byrnes. But FDR didn't get him. The party leaders got what they wanted over the most powerful President in the 20th century.

A very, very different process than we have today.
Today, the VP is picked by the Presidential nominee, and rubber stamped by the party.
His chief qualification is loyalty to the Top of the ticket. If they can imagine some positive beyond that like I described earlier, so much the better.

The VP shouldn't embarrass the ticket. And he shouldn't over shadow the P.
Smart but, not too smart. Lower in popularity and reputation than the P.

You don't want the VP to doom the ticket. And you don't want people to yearn for the ticket to be turned upside down.
Quayle's job was to not embarrass GHWB. , Biden and Johnson were imagined to add maturity to a young ticket. I don't know what the hell Nixon was for,,,

Conspiracy Theory wrote:

"The VP shouldn't embarrass the ticket. And he shouldn't over shadow the P."

In Sarah Palin's case, I doubt it would be possible to embarrass the ticket any more than it already is. 

In 2008 Palin was the difference for me.
I really like McCain up till he picked her.
Then that ticket was radioactive for me.
 

The Man wrote:

Goose wrote:

I think that warren would argue that fast food jobs are no longer the first, temporary, wrung on the career ladder. Some people raising families, who in an earlier time would have gotten a manufacturing job are now stuck in the service sector due to factors beyond their control.

You may disagree with the premise, but I cannot see how you could watch that video and state that warren is like that cartoonish character. Palin. I disagree in the strongest terms

 
Warren certainly isn't cartoonish like Palin is (Palin is like a real life SNL sketch), but no I don't agree that fast food jobs should pay a living wage(which no one can even define what 'living wage' is). You start out in fast food, or similar low-rung work, like most of us have, and you work your way up.

There is some data that suggests that, with the decline of US manufacturing, that  this is no longer true.

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