Yesterday afternoon on Fox "News", Dan Quayle said about Dems: "They're gonna go to budget reconciliation, which I believe would set a very bad precedent, because essentially--if they could do it, and I don't know if they can do it, but if they could do it--what you have done, effectively, is to take away the filibuster in the United States Senate. So, therefore, you have 51 votes in the House and 51 votes in the Senate. That is not what our Founding Fathers had in mind. That is not the constitutional process."
Well, Quayle was half right (perhaps a personal best for him?): the founding fathers did not intend 51 votes to carry legislation in the House. It's a subtle point, to be sure. But it prompted me to find other subtle points Quayle made over the years (all vetted by Snopes, no joke attributions here). I'm keeping my fingers crossed that his son, Ben, running for Shadegg's seat in AZ, proves the potatoe doesn't fall far from the tree:
"Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child."
"What a waste it is to lose one's mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is."
"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."
"I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and democracy - but that could change."
"We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur."
"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any vice president, and that one word is 'to be prepared.'"
"Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things."
"I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future."
"The future will be better tomorrow."
"Illegitimacy is something we should talk about in terms of not having it."
"Welcome to President Bush, Mrs. Bush, and my fellow astronauts."
"[It's] time for the human race to enter the solar system."
"We're going to have the best-educated American people in the world."
"People that are really very weird can get into sensitive positions and have a tremendous impact on history."
"I stand by all the misstatements that I've made."
"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."
"I am not part of the problem. I am a Republican."
"I love California, I practically grew up in Phoenix."
"When I have been asked during these last weeks who caused the riots and the killing in L.A., my answer has been direct and 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."
"For NASA, space is still a high priority."
"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."
"Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our children."