No, Senator Conkling did not like the idea, in part because it was the Garfield camp who had approached Arthur, not him. When Arthur informed Conkling that he had been offered the vice presidency, Conkling allegedly said: “Well, sir, you should drop it as you would a red hot shoe from the forge.” But, Arthur disagreed, responding: “The office of the vice president is a greater honor than I ever dreamed of attaining.”