I stand by all the misstatements that I've made

On the eve of the Vice Presidential debate, I am fondly reminded of that other bumbling fool in-over-his-head VP, Dan Quayle. Here are some of my personal favorites:


"What a waste it is to lose one's mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is." Source: (USA Today 5/10/89)

"There were no Palestinians riding on planes on September 9th."
Source Time Magazine (Quayle was referencing the 9/11 attacks)

"The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation's history. I mean in this century's history. But we all lived in this century. I didn't live in this century."
Senator Dan Quayle, 9/15/88 (reported in Esquire, 8/92, The New Yorker, 10/10/88, p.102)

"Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things."
Senator Dan Quayle, 10/30/88 (reported in Esquire, 8/92 and the LA Times, 10/30/88)

"Hawaii has always been a very pivotal role in the Pacific. It is in the Pacific. It is a part of the United States that is an island that is right here."
Vice President Dan Quayle, Hawaii, 4/25/89 (reported in Esquire, 8/92)

The other day [the President] said, I know you've had some rough times, and I want to do something that will show the nation what faith that I have in you, in your maturity and sense of responsibility. (He paused, then said) Would you like a puppy?
Source: LA Times 5/21/89

"We are on an irreversible trend towards more freedom and democracy - but that could change."
Vice President Dan Quayle, Hawaii, 5/22/89 (reported in Esquire, 8/92)

"Mars is essentially in the same orbit...Mars is somewhat the same distance from the Sun, which is very important. We have seen pictures where there are canals, we believe, and water. If there is water, that means there is oxygen. If oxygen, that means we can breathe."
Vice President Dan Quayle, Hawaii, 8/11/89 (interview broadcast on CNN, referenced in 9/1/89 Washington Post article: "A Quayle Vision of Mars")

"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared'."
December 6, 1993

"For NASA, space is still a high priority."
Vice President Dan Quayle, talking to NASA employees, 9/5/90 (reported in Esquire, 8/92)

"I have been asked who caused the riots and the killing in LA, my answer has been direct & simple: Who is to blame for the riots? The rioters are to blame. Who is to blame for the killings? The killers are to blame."
Vice President Dan Quayle (during the Commonwealth Club speech 5/19/92)

"Illegitimacy is something we should talk about in terms of not having it."
Vice President Dan Quayle, 5/20/92 (reported in Esquire, 8/92)

Attributed:
"I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix."

"Potato. P-O-T-A-T-O-E."

"My friends, no matter how rough the road may be, we can and we will never surrender to what is right."
In a speech to the Christian Coalition

"You all look like happy campers to me. Happy campers you are, happy campers you have been, and, as far as I am concerned, happy campers you will always be."
In a speech to American Samoans

"I stand by all my misstatements."

"The future will be better tomorrow."

"A word of advice: 'get a job.'"

"We're going to have the best educated American people in the world."