The first recorded invocation of the neologism “veepstakes” can be found in a headline in the Omaha World-Evening Herald in 1952 above a story about the potential running mates of that year’s presidential nominees, Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower and Democrat Adlai Stevenson: Veepstakes Provide Laughs Even in Serious Campaign. The story’s tone (“What America needs now is comedy—so, hurry, we’re getting ready to elect a Vice-President!”) and placement (page 25) were consistent with the mockery of the headline. This turned out to be apt, since neither of the wingmen ultimately chosen for the tickets (Senators Richard Nixon and John Sparkman) had the slightest impact on Ike’s 442-electoral-vote landslide that November.