Breaking: Lloyd Bentsen Has Died

[kpete]

CNN 8:00 a.m. PST

AP: Former U.S. Senator, Treasurey Secretary Lloyd Bentsen Has Died

to Dan Quail:

"I knew Jack Kennedy and you sir, are no Jack Kennedy"

[slackmaster]

1. RIP - His "zinger" on Dan Quayle will never be forgotten

:nuke:

[bigscott]

3. it was wonderful!

the man entered political immortality with that line! May he rest in peace

[mikelgb]

5. i am unfamiliar with this unforgettable zinger...

enlighten me

[corkhead]

7. see #6

[corkhead]

6. for the kids out there...

"During a memorable Vice-Presidential debate in Omaha, Nebraska, during the 1988 presidential election, Indiana senator Dan Quayle (George Bush's running mate) made a remarkable claim. "I have as much experience in the Congress," he said, "as Jack Kennedy did when he sought the presidency." Texas senator Lloyd Bentsen was not amused. "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy," he declared. "I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy!"

http://anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=16217

[madokie]

8. seen that live

[abluelady]

20. Me too.

It was a wonderful moment.

[slackmaster]

28. Me three - One of the best laughs I've ever had

:toast:

[question everything]

30. Yes. And after a second the stunned audience burst in laughter

and applause.

Dan Quayle did not know where to hide.

[ReadTomPaine]

54. And thus ended Dan's political career. n/t

[Skelington]

19. I'll duck after I say this but........

I don't know about Lloyd Bentsen, but other than the "zinger" against Dan Quayle 18 frickin years ago, isn't there anything more substantial acomplished in his political career?

No disrespect to the dead, but surely the man accomplished more in his career to be remembered. Dan Quayle was not the "Teflon Don" of the political world, he made a fool of himself more often than others made a fool of him.

I'm no kid, but I'm curious about a lot of politicians, not just Bentsen, that are in office for ever, and are revered as great politicians but are remembered only for an obscure spotlight moment and not a track record of accomplishments.

[shain from kane]

21. Well, he was no Jack Kennedy either. n/t

[sabbat hunter]

23. he was also

Bill Clintons first secretary of treasury.

[Wickerman]

24. Its easy to remember only the one liners of a man

but in Lloyd's case he was a formidable politician. Most forget he was secretary of Treasury under Clinton and helped get the first budget passed - the one that helped lead the country back to fiscal responsibility.


from Wikopedia
Bensten favored abortion and women's rights, including the Equal Rights Amendment. He was a lukewarm supporter of the Vietnam War. He generally supported business interests in the arena of economic policy and swiftly rose to become a power to be reckoned with on the Senate Finance Committee. In 1975-76, he ran for the Democratic Party nomination for the presidency which undercut the campaign of Henry M. 'Scoop' Jackson in the powerful business and financial communities, but he withdrew from his national candidacy to become a 'favorite son' of Texas well before the Democratic National Convention that nominated his friendly and respected rival, James Earl Carter.

snip

He retired from the Senate in January, 1993 in order to serve as the 69th Secretary of the Treasury under Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1994. Clinton's selection of Bentsen for his cabinet was criticised as resulting in a loss of a Democratic Senate seat when Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison won the special election in Texas for Bentsen's vacated seat. As Secretary of the Treasury, Bentsen helped to shepherd Clinton's first budget through Congress. President Clinton awarded Bentsen the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999.

[Skelington]

32. Well,

Thanks for the information. I hope at least one of todays "lukewarm" Iraqi war supporters have more said about them after 40+ years of re-election.

How does one "swiftly become a force to be reconed with" by "generally supporting business interests in the area of economic policy"?

Again I thank you for the info, don't mean to sound sour, that Kennedy line is pretty funny.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

35. have fun calling him an obscure politician all day.

welcome to du.

[Skelington]

36. I'm not calling him "obsecure" per se,

I did not know anything about him, so I asked,..... making fun of Dan Quayle is like calling water wet. I was curious about his career accomplishments, I have no doubt he has more than described in the few posts above, however his claim to fame seems to be making fun of Quayle in 88, I thought there might be more.

Thanks.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

39. he didn't make fun of Quayle.

he completely demolished quayle in a debate with a single line. it wasn't "making fun" of him. and this was before quayle was known to be a complete jackass.

Gore and Kerry would have been wise to follow Bentsen's take no prisoners debate style. They both debated somebody who was a good intellectual likeness to Quayle, and didn't finish the job like Bentsen did.

[Skelington]

44. "take no prisoner debate style"?

Kerry couln't muster the balls to put up even a modest fight againt swift boaters, let alone the voter fraud in FL. To say that Bentsen "destroyed" Quayle, is the same as saying Kerry destroyed bush in thier debate. A boiled egg could out-debate bush, and in all honesty I think the boiled egg would just flat out refuse to waste time debating Quayle. I started out a few posts ago asking if there were more significant accomplishments in Bentsen's past than making fun of Quayle. "Demolishing" Quayle 18 years ago in a presidential race they lost just cannot be the shinning point in 40 some-odd frickin years of service.

I'm going to stop because I don't want to give the impression I'm bashing Bentsen, I didn't know much about him, but I have no doubt that Dan Quayle was no match for him.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

45. yes. take prisoners debate stye.

actually, with that single line Bentsen did destroy Quayle in that debate. And actually, Kerry destroyed the chimp in their debate too - in case you missed it. But Kerry just didn't finish him like Bentsen did.

[Skelington]

47. Destroyed?

Bentsen DESTROYED Quayle in a debate, and then lost the election, Kerry DESTROYED bush in the debate, then folded his hand, those are the facts in case you missed it.

Kerry is a limp dick for not fighting for his presidency. I'm not stupid I understand what you said, they both won thier debate battle then lost the war, I don't think it's a "style" worthy of a copy.

I don't think Bentsen was a bad man, I don't even know that much about him, but him making fun of DAN FRICKING QUAYLE is not a good example of his strengths after 40 years in office, repeating the story doesn't change anything. That is how all this started, enough, Bentsen is known for Crushing Dan Quayle in 1988, so be it.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

48. America was watching American Gladiator in 88

and American Idol in 04. The debates don't mean shit. but you knew that.

[Skelington]

50. Not sure what "American Gladiator" is,

I wasn't in front of a TV in 1988, and American Idol is silly. I will have to admit that "Lost" has my attention.

you're not abandoning Kerry and Bentsen's debating accomplishments are you?

[SlavesandBulldozers]

51. oh you're still calling Bentsen insignificant on the day of his death

on a democratic message board? Yeah, I had kind of tried to steer the topic away from where you were constantly trying to steer it.

But hey, more power to ya man.

I'd say it's disappointing to find new members who, by their own admission, know nothing about a man saying that his accomplishments aren't worth shit on the day of his death. If I sound like I'm trivializing your argument (were there one) it's because you sound like you're trivializing the man. Did you possibly read that he won the Presidential Medal of Freedom, or were you too busy trivializing him to maybe find out a little about him?

So this is where my responses end. Good day to you and, uh, welcome I suppose.

[Blue_Roses]

49. Bentson didn't make fun of Quayle

Quayle embarrassed himself and Bentson just called him on it.

"That remark was uncalled for, Senator," Quayle interjected. Replied Bentsen: "You're the one that was making the comparison, Senator . . . Frankly, I think you're so far apart in the objectives you choose for your country that I did not think the comparison was well taken."

http://cgi.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/analysis/back.time/9610/09/

[tabasco]

43. Air Force officer 1942-45. Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross.

He was a war hero too.

A man of great intelligence and nobility.

[katinmn]

17. Benson and Quayle debate

[Blue_Roses]

22. Here's that KICKASS zinger:

The over programmed Quayle was a poor match for Bentsen

By Richard Stengel

(TIME, October 17, 1988) -- Dan Quayle made a promise to the American people before the vice-presidential debate: "You're going to see the real Dan Quayle. " Until Wednesday night, many Americans thought the real Dan Quayle was a sunny, overconfident, high-spirited young man who had spent more time on the golf links than in the library. But the Dan Quayle at the debate was a different person: a grim, wooden, frightened fellow who had stayed up late memorizing answers for the big test. So nervous were Bush's handlers that they denied Quayle any chance to be spontaneous, transforming him instead into an automaton searching for prepackaged answers that he could drone out safely.

The central issue of the Omaha debate was whether the 41-year-old Senator from Indiana had the intellect, temperament and judgment necessary to move into the presidency. Three times Quayle was thrown off balance when asked what he would do if he had to take over from George Bush. Quayle could only sputter bland inanities before falling back on his script about his congressional accomplishments. On his third try, he compared the length of his experience with that of John Kennedy in 1960. It proved a fatal flirtation with one of America's most enduring myths. With precision and rhetorical balance, Bentsen uttered four terse sentences. "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."

"That remark was uncalled for, Senator," Quayle interjected. Replied Bentsen: "You're the one that was making the comparison, Senator . . . Frankly, I think you're so far apart in the objectives you choose for your country that I did not think the comparison was well taken." It was as though a respected uncle had reprimanded his young charge for cheekiness.:rofl:

--snip--

And dusting off a line he had used at the convention, Bentsen articulated the Democratic case against the apparent success of the U.S. economy: "You know, if you let me write $200 billion worth of hot checks every year, I could give you the illusion of prosperity too."

more...




http://cgi.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/analysis/back.time/... /


_________________

I was watching front and center during that debate--in fact, that election was the spark of my interest in politics. I will never forget the feeling of pride when he made that comment to Quayle. I thought Quayle was going to cry. He brings passion to politics and demonstrates how Democrats can fight back with poise and grace YET KICKASS in the process.

RIP LLoyd Bentson. You will always be remembered as an awesome man:cry:

[SeattleGirl]

55. On of the best smack-downs EVAH!

I watched that debate, and I started clapping when he said that!

RIP, Senator.

[yellerpup]

2. 10 Gallon Hats Off

to a great American. :cry:

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. Just now seeing it on MSNBC, too

R.I.P., Senator and prayers for your family.

:(

[katinmn]

9. One of the few to actually beat a Bush in an electoral race

1970 Race for U.S. Senate
Lloyd Bentsen (D), 53%
George H.W. Bush (R), 47%

RIP, Senator.

[goclark]

15. That's when Poppy decided to play dirty for the rest of his life!

[The2ndWheel]

10. This Lloyd Bentsen?

http://www.usacc.org/contents.php?cid=2

[corkhead]

18. He was the Faux News "balance" vs all the neocons on that board

:evilgrin:





:sarcasm:

edit to add evilgrin and sarcasm raining thingy,

[Blue_Roses]

11. OH, NO!

:cry: I love Lloyd Bentson. Damn, I will always remember that debate with Quayle as one of the most memorable. Damn, Damn, Damn...:cry:

[peekaloo]

12. R.I.P.

:patriot:

[goclark]

13. RIP ~ a real STICKY

that they didn't let STICK!

I was just struck by the fact that the NEO CON era started with POPPY in office!

Poppy is always in the middle.

Don't follow the money, follow the POPPY~

[fooj]

33. You've got that right...

FOLLOW THE POPPY...

[xchrom]

14. peace good sir.

[Catherine Vincent]

16. RIP, Mr. Bentsen!

I remember when President Clinton honored him at his last SOTU address.

[ceile]

25. RIP Mr. Bentsen

TX will miss you.

[otohara]

26. RIP

another one of my hero's

[AlCzervik]

27. that was one of the first debates i ever watched and i will never forget

that line, it brought the house down.

[question everything]

29. "Thank you for your friendship and support"

Lloyd Bentsen concluded his letter to me, in 1992, when I asked him to be the Democratic candidate.

We don't have people like that anymore.

Rest in Peace, dear man.

[Gruenemann]

31. The OTHER side of Lloyd Bentsen

Texas once had a truly liberal and progressive U. S. Senator, Ralph Yarborough. But he was driven from office by DINO Bentsen in a Rovian campaign using TV ads showing riots that linked Yarborough's antiwar sentiments with violent street protests. That's always stuck in my craw, although in later years as the country veered right, Bentsen started looking better and better.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

52. yes. we must always be "fair and balanced "mustn't we?

it's only fair. . . and balanced.

[newyawker99]

34. Rest in peace Mr Bentsen.

[UTUSN]

37. A Dem Veep candidate who actually FOUGHT n/t

[SlavesandBulldozers]

40. amen to that.

[Taxloss]

38. Sad news. RIP. n/t

[AspenRose]

41. Oh, how sad.

This San Antonian salutes you, sir. RIP.

[Odin2005]

42. RIP, Senator.

[dogday]

46. RIP

from a fellow Houstonian......

[SlavesandBulldozers]

53. RIP

[mykpart]

56. I remember one year I voted for him twice!

He was running for VP with Dukakis, and also for US Senate! I'm sorry he's gone.