<P> Throughout September, Agnew was in the news, generally as a result of what one reporter called his "offensive and sometimes dangerous banality". He used the derogatory term "Polack" to describe Polish - Americans, referred to a Japanese - American reporter as "the fat Jap", and appeared to dismiss poor socio - economic conditions by stating "if you've seen one slum you've seen them all ." He attacked Humphrey as soft on communism, an appeaser like Britain's prewar prime minister Neville Chamberlain . Agnew was mocked by his Democratic opponents; a Humphrey commercial displayed the message "Spiro Agnew for Vice President" against a soundtrack of prolonged hysterical laughter, before a final message: "This would be funny if it weren't so serious ." Agnew's comments outraged many, but Nixon did not rein him in; such right - wing populism had a strong appeal in the Southern states and was an effective counter to Wallace . Agnew's rhetoric was also popular in some Northern areas, and helped to galvanize "white backlash" into something less racially defined, more attuned to the suburban ethic defined by historian Peter B. Levy as "orderliness, personal responsibility, the sanctity of hard work, the nuclear family, and law and order". </P> <P> In late October, Agnew survived an expose in The New York Times questioning his financial dealings in Maryland, with Nixon denouncing the paper for "the lowest kind of gutter politics". In the election on November 5, the Republicans were victorious, with a narrow popular vote plurality - 500,000 out of a total of 73 million votes cast . The Electoral College result was more decisive; Nixon 301, Humphrey 191 and Wallace 45 . The Republicans narrowly lost Maryland, but Agnew was credited by pollster Louis Harris with helping his party to victory in several border and Upper South states that might easily have fallen to Wallace--South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky--and with bolstering Nixon's support in suburbs nationally . Had Nixon lost those five states, he would have had only the minimum number of electoral votes needed, 270, and any defection by an elector would have thrown the election to the Democrat - controlled House of Representatives . </P> <P> Immediately after the 1968 election, Agnew was still uncertain what Nixon would expect of him as vice president . He met with Nixon several days after the election in Key Biscayne, Florida . Nixon, vice president himself for eight years under Eisenhower, wanted to spare Agnew the boredom and lack of a role he had sometimes experienced in that office . Nixon gave Agnew an office in the West Wing of the White House, a first for a vice president . When they stood before the press after the meeting, Nixon pledged that Agnew would not have to undertake the ceremonial roles usually undertaken by the holders of the vice presidency, but would have "new duties beyond what any vice president has previously assumed". Nixon told the press that he planned to make full use of Agnew's experience as county executive and as governor in dealing with matters of federal - state relations and in urban affairs . </P> <P> Nixon established transition headquarters in New York, but Agnew was not invited to meet with him there until November 27, when the two met for an hour . When Agnew spoke to reporters afterwards, he stated that he felt "exhilarated" with his new responsibilities, but did not explain what those were . During the transition period, Agnew traveled extensively, enjoying his new status . He vacationed on St. Croix, where he played a round of golf with Humphrey and Muskie . He went to Memphis for the 1968 Liberty Bowl, and to New York to attend the wedding of Nixon's daughter Julie to David Eisenhower . Agnew was a fan of the Baltimore Colts; in January, he was the guest of team owner Carroll Rosenbloom at Super Bowl III, and watched Joe Namath and the New York Jets upset the Colts, 16--7 . There was as yet no official residence for the vice president, and Spiro and Judy Agnew secured a suite at the Sheraton Hotel in Washington formerly occupied by Johnson while vice president . Only one of their children, Kim, the youngest daughter, moved there with them, the others remaining in Maryland . </P>

Who becomes president if vice president can't