From: jcconger@athena.mit.edu (John Conger)
Subject: Dan Quayle
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 15:55:00 GMT

Dan Quayle.  

Our nation's Vice President.  First in line to the presidency should
something happen to George Bush.

Michael J. Bumbulis was discussing Clinton's mistake in reference to 
Clinton's reference to Lincoln's lack of military action and he says:

>Hmmm.  If Quayl had made such a mistake, don't you think the media
>would have been parading it?

Well, it isn't just a matter of blatant favoritism.  There's more to 
it than that.  

First of all, I've read about Clinton messing up grammar in one sentence
where he used I instead of me.  He also messed up a history reference.

Now imagine the mainstream voter.  Would they know any better?  Some
would, some wouldn't.  But its not as blatant as some of the quotes
that Dan Quayle has.  Latin Americans speaking Latin?  And heck, that
sixth grader knew how to spell potato.  So Dan's mistakes tend to 
be somewhat easier to recognize.  

Secondly, Dan has a wealth of these.  People hear him trip up at this point
and think its just another example of his miscues.  Even if its an 
honest mistake that anyone could make, it gets noticed because he has
the reputation for making these blunders.  And there's a million of them.
(Admitted Exaggeration)  

And with Reagan, it made the press for a couple of days and went away.  
Sort of a novelty.  Nobody called him stupid.  He just took it from 
a book that misattributed it.  It made the news (just like Clinton's)
and went away.  

A lot of people have an image of Dan Quayle as less intelligent and
less competent.  He was apparently a decent senator, but when he 
started making these gaffes in the limelight, then it brought other
things into the forefront, like the fact that he got a 2.16 GPA
at DePauw University, and that he only got into Indiana University
Law School (which had a minimum 2.60 GPA to enter restriction) by
way of his father pulling strings.  

Thus his overall competency was brought into question.  Would you want
such a man leading you?  Well, some people would say yes.  The vast
majority of Americans (according to public opinion polls) would say no.

Those people are becoming uneasy with the rumors about Bush's health.
They don't want Bush to die and leave us with Quayle at the head
of our nation.  As Bush ages, they get more uneasy.  


Some personal opinion:
I personally wouldn't want Dan Quayle as the president of our country.
He might have it in him to be in Congress, but he's certainly not the
cream of that crop.  I don't think he has the capability to lead.
Then I heard the statistic that a 68 year old man has a 12% chance 
of dying within 4 years.  Gulp.  Bush is 68.  I get nervous.  I could
probably live with Bush being president.  I have for 4 years.  It
was uninspired and somewhat frustrating, but not frightening.  I would
be scared if Quayle was president.
Ending personal opinion.


So anyway, that's why everyone rags on Quayle as opposed to other 
public figures.  You don't have to like it, but I think that's why
it happens.  (As opposed to the press being liberal or anything...
I think that may be true, but I don't think it is the reason for this.)

	

		John
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