Thanks for clearing the rest up, it makes much more sense now.  I was confused about the chief executive appointing someone to ... coordinate the Executive.  But I suspected it served the function you described. (Jerome's diary also made that point.)

FYI, the US VP is on the ballot, but I'm not aware of any election in which the elected VP was not on the same ticket as the elected President...  It's a given that when voting for a Presidential nominee, you are also voting for their VP.

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. -Voltaire