James Danforth “Dan” Quayle (b.1947) is an American politician. A Republican from Indiana, he served as a member of the House of Representatives 1977–81 and of the Senate 1981–89, before serving as vice president 1989–93.
Quayle was a controversial figure from the time he was announced as George H. W. Bush’s running mate during the 1988 presidential elections. With the selection of Quayle, Bush anticipated solidifying his political base with the influential and conservative wing of the Republican Party. However, a majority of the American public disapproved of Quayle’s divisive campaign approach. In fact, according to one biographer, Bush wrote in his diary just after picking Quayle as his running-mate, “It was my decision, and I blew it, but I’m not about to say that I blew it.”
In the 1992 presidential elections, the incumbent Bush-Quayle ticket lost to Bill Clinton and Al Gore, and Quayle effectively disappeared from the limelight. He published a best-selling memoir Standing Firm (1994.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Dan Quayle
Space is almost infinite. As a matter of fact, we think it is infinite.
—Dan Quayle
Topics: Space
Let me just tell you how thrilling it really is, and how, what a challenge it is, because in 1988 the question is whether we’re going forward to tomorrow or whether we’re going to go past to the back!
—Dan Quayle
Topics: Politics, Politicians
You do the policy, I’ll do the politics.
—Dan Quayle
Topics: Principles
People that are really weird can get into sensitive positions and have a tremendous impact on history.
—Dan Quayle
Topics: Politicians, Politics
What a waste it is to lose one’s mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is.
—Dan Quayle
Topics: The Mind, Mind
The peace dividend is peace.
—Dan Quayle
Topics: Peace
One word sums up probably the responsibility of any vice president, and that one word is to be prepared.
—Dan Quayle
Topics: Responsibility
Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things.
—Dan Quayle
Topics: Words
When you make as many speeches and you talk as much as I do and you get away from the text, it’s always a possibility to get a few words tangled here and there.
—Dan Quayle
Topics: Speech
If we don’t succeed, we run the risk of failure.
—Dan Quayle
Topics: Success & Failure, Failure, Success
We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.
—Dan Quayle
Topics: Foresight, Events
In golf, you keep your head down and follow through. In the vice presidency, you keep your head up and follow through. It’s a big difference.
—Dan Quayle
Topics: Golf
Votes are like trees, if you are trying to build a forest. If you have more trees than you have forests, then at that point the pollsters will probably say you will win.
—Dan Quayle
Topics: Voting
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