Saturday morning

4 February 2017

— “I love California, I practically grew up in Phoenix.” Dan Quayle - 4 February 1947

Good Morning All,

I’d forgotten what a complete nitwit and national treasure Dan Quayle is. Here’s a baker’s dozen of his best bon mots:

1. Republicans have been accused of abandoning the poor. It’s the other way around. They never vote for us.

2. It’s wonderful to be here in the state of Chicago.

3. What a waste it is to lose one’s mind. Or not to have a mind is very wasteful. How true that is.

4. The future will be better tomorrow.

5. We have a firm commitment to NATO. We are a part of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe. We are a part of Europe. 

6. It’s time for the human race to enter the solar system.

7. We’re going to have the best educated American people in the world.

8. For NASA, space is still a high priority.

9. I understand the importance of bondage between parent and child.

10. Unfortunately, the people of Louisiana are not racists.

11. Welcome to President Bush, Mrs. Bush, and my fellow astronauts.

12. This President is going to lead us out of this recovery.

13. I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future.

Some of us who may have recently lost some confidence in the ability of the American voter to elect qualified people to public office should bear in mind that the voters of Indiana willingly exercised their right to elect this nimrod to represent them in the House of Representatives from 1977 to 1981. As if this were not mind-boggling enough, he then defeated three-termer Birch Bayh for a seat in the Senate and won re-election by 61%, which is still the largest landslide in Indiana history. 

George W. H. Bush, figuring what was good for Indianans must be good for the nation, chose him as his running mate in 1988. You may recall that at one Vice-Presidential debate he compared himself to President Kennedy, and Lloyd Bentsen famously replied, “Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy.”

Still, he became the Vice President, one heart beat away from the Presidency itself. Or as he once observed, “People that are really weird can get into sensitive positions and have a tremendous impact on history.”

I mention all that because I now have a question for you: If we had the choice, whom—in your heart of hearts—would you choose to be the U.S. President right now, Dingbat Dan or the present holder of that office?

Go Well and Stay Well,

Bhekaron