One Last Time

Before I forget, a word about Lloyd Bentsen, who died last week. He served his country well for decades, but will be remembered for one stupid moment.

I'm sure you know what I'm referring to: “Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.”

A few comments.

First, I'm not especially impressed with Kennedy. I think he was an average President whose reputation is high because of his tragic death. (By the way, I don't think I ever used the phrase "not especially" on this blog and now I've used it twice in two days.)

Second, Dan Quayle has no one to blame but himself. He heard the silly Kennedy comparison at the Republican convention and for some reason thought he could get away with it in an actual debate.

Third, this was obviously a canned line. The Dems watched the Repubs' convention and figured if Quayle's dumb enough to repeat this, we should be ready.

Fourth, while it got a lot of attention, it was a cheap shot that told us nothing about either candidate. I suppose no one cares what vice presidents think anyway, but it would have been better to concentrate on actual content.

Fifth, this is why I hate political debates--they're often more about who scores the most points and who spins the best afterward.