Garrett A. Hobart was the Vice President during the Spanish American War. 

He was born in Long Branch New Jersey in 1844. His early education was at a primary school run by his father, and later at boarding schools. In 1863 he graduated from Rutgers at the top of his class. Family friend Socrates Tuttle became his tutor when he studied law, and in 1866 was admitted to the bar. 

Garrett Hobart was elected to be a judge in Paterson New Jersey in 1868. When his father was elected Mayor in 1871 Judge Hobart was appointed to the City Counsel. 

In 1872 he served two terms in the assembly, then from 1876 to 82 he was in the state senate. Garrett Hobart was the first man to be the leader of both houses of the New Jersey legislature. He was nominated many times to be New Jersey’s US Senator but since he showed no interest in the job he was never elected. 

Hobart did not like public speaking and preferred the business end of politics. He was the chairman of the New Jersey Republican Committee from 1880 to 1891, and was chairman of the national Republican Committee from 1884 to 1896. In addition to his political career he had acquired great financial success as a corporate attorney. Mark Hanna and the other party bosses saw Hobart as the ideal vice presidential candidate to unite the business community behind McKinley in the 96 election. 

When he moved in to the Vice President’s office in the Capitol building he decided to make some improvements. He had silk curtains installed, a silk mohair carpet, a grandfather clock, and a mahogany desk. He rented a home in Lafayette Square, which came to be known as the “Little cream White House”. 

He had a good working relationship with President McKinley, which prompted newsman Arthur Dunn to write, “The Vice President is recognized as somebody, as part of the administration, and as part of the body over which the President presides.” McKinley also trusted Hobart’s business judgment and would ask him to invest part of his monthly presidential salary. 

When news of the Battleship Maine reached the Senate it started a pro-war demonstration. Vice President Hobart notified the White house saying, “If you do not act they will act without you.” To show his support for the war Hobart sent his own personal pen to the President so he could use it to sign the declaration of war against Spain. 

The war lasted less than six months but it made the US a new colonial power. Some senators opposed the annexation of the Philippines and supported the Bacon amendment that would grant the former Spanish colony its independence, but others saw control of the Philippines as an opportunity to strengthen US trade and power in the Far East. The vote was 29 to 29 when the Vice President voted against the Bacon amendment. 

In early 1899 he started having fainting spells, then died of heart failure. William McKinley was deeply saddened by the loss of his close friend and advisor, but it did give the Republican party bosses an opportunity to muzzle New York’s governor by making him McKinley running mate in 1900.