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R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Tue May 23, 2006 at 05:59:56 PM EST
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Lloyd Bentsen, 85, Former Senator, Secretary of the Treasury and Vice Presidential candidate on the 1988 Democratic ticket with Michael Dukakis has died at his home in Texas. He had had two strokes in recent years. His most priceless moment came during his 1988 debate with Dan Quayle:

Quayle: ... I have far more experience than many others that sought the office of vice president this country. I have as much experience in the Congress as Jack Kennedy did when he sought the presidency. I will be prepared to deal with the people in the Bush administration if that unfortunate event would ever occur.

Moderator: Senator Bentsen.

Bentsen: Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy.

R.I.P., Senator Bentson

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    R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen | 24 comments (24 topical)
    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#1)
    by Dusty on Tue May 23, 2006 at 06:15:00 PM EST
    Best quote of the debate and that whole election season. As a friend of mine said..party at Dan Quayles tonight..Bentsen took the wind out of Danny's sails with that one comment.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#2)
    by Dusty on Tue May 23, 2006 at 06:16:01 PM EST
    um..I meant no disrespect to Bentsen with the Quayle comment.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue May 23, 2006 at 07:04:31 PM EST
    That was a typical no substance cheap shot.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#4)
    by aw on Tue May 23, 2006 at 07:19:06 PM EST
    Oh, lighten up.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#5)
    by Dadler on Tue May 23, 2006 at 07:21:51 PM EST
    JRT, And Bentsen's shot still had twice the substance and rhetorical savvy of Quayle's generalized use of JFK to make a "point" about his (Quayle's) youth and inexperience not being a problem (which is wasn't, his empty head was).

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue May 23, 2006 at 07:37:22 PM EST
    Of course Bensen was right. Quayle never plugged a mafiosi's girlfriend or Marilyn Monroe. Jimbo

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#7)
    by Dadler on Tue May 23, 2006 at 07:46:23 PM EST
    So JFK was a more prolific cocksman too, is that surprising? Quayle oozes about as much libido as a garden gnome.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue May 23, 2006 at 07:47:18 PM EST
    Qualye had a point and Bentsen had a good response, but what is so legendary about it? Quayle was no dummy he was just a poor speaker, which understandably is a necessary quality in a leader. JFK was no great intellect either, but he was a good speaker.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#9)
    by jimcee on Tue May 23, 2006 at 07:48:08 PM EST
    Lloyd Bentsen is ill served by those that would use a harsh debate put-down of his opponent in a landslide loss as his epitaph. He was most of all a social liberal and a fiscal conservative who was one of the early advocates for 'Supply Side' (or to detractors, "trickle-down) economics and reduced tax rates to spur economic growth. He worked for Laffer Associates whose famous 'Laffer curve' showed the relationship between reduced tax rates and increased gov't revenues. He also rightly credited reduced tax rates to increased economic growth. Again it is sad that he is remembered more for a sarcastic retort in a losing campaign than for his honest and realistic economic and social intellect. Lloyd Bentsen, RIP.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#10)
    by Sailor on Tue May 23, 2006 at 08:07:51 PM EST
    Ahh, I'm just waiting for all the wrongwingers to say 'decorum, people, decorum' ... oh wait, they've already responded ... and 'decorum' wasn't their response. Senator Bensen has passed on. God rest your soul sir.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#11)
    by nolo on Tue May 23, 2006 at 08:16:48 PM EST
    You're the first lefty blog that I frequent to acknowledge Lloyd Bensen's passing. Good on you. He was a good man.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#12)
    by Dadler on Tue May 23, 2006 at 09:09:52 PM EST
    JRT, I have to disagree. Quayle, it should've been obvious, was and is a completely sub-par intellect. He rose on status and privilege. I remember the joke about there being a movie about his Vietnam experiences called "Full Dinner Jacket". He couldn't put a thought or a sentence together, and he set himself up for the JFK line with his pitiful lack of rhetorical savvy. He was a living, breathing embarrassment. But that's just me.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#13)
    by Dadler on Tue May 23, 2006 at 09:13:24 PM EST
    And come on now, JFK was g*ddamn Einstein next to Quayle. Bush and Quayle TOGETHER couldn't come close to beating a high school debating team, and I'd put good money on it. If I weren't about to go buy lottery tickets with that same money. And booze. And chicks. But again, that's just me. ;-)

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue May 23, 2006 at 09:20:25 PM EST
    No matter what you think of Bentsen, that was a great, great moment. After Quayle spoke, Bentsen knew he had him. He took his time, savoring the moment. Even Quayle knew he had made a mistake and was about to be punished for it, but no one expected Bentsen's delivery to be so brilliant and perfect. JRT, JFK has been almost deified in recent times, but I think you go too far in the other direction. He did some dumb things (which he took responsibility for) and he did some courageous things. But he was more than just a speaker. He was a leader.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#15)
    by Rick B on Tue May 23, 2006 at 10:47:28 PM EST
    Senator Bentson's death represents a real loss to America, the Democratic Party, and Texas. He had a lot more to offer than his put-down of Dan Qualyle, but America was lucky that he did so. We didn't need Dan Quayle as a viable Republican presidential candidate, and Bentson's putdown eliminated him. Damned shame that Bentson never debated Bush 43. We all lost a lot with his death.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#16)
    by john horse on Wed May 24, 2006 at 03:26:44 AM EST
    You have to put Bentsen's quote in context. During the Reagan era, a frequent tactic of Republicans was to link themselves or their policies to former Democratic party Presidents like FDR, JFK, or Truman. They would take quotes from these men out of context in order to support policies which these Democrats would have probably opposed. Given that many of these Republicans did not particularly admire FDR, JFK, or Truman, there was something particularly cynical about this. When Bentsen called Quayle out on this, it was a deer caught in the headlights moment.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#17)
    by cowboyx on Wed May 24, 2006 at 05:54:46 AM EST
    You speak of the Reagan era like nobody every apes presidents cynically anymore.... Seems that all that has changed is that the Dems don't call the GOP out anymore on these cynical tactics. RIP, Senator. We greatly need someone like you now.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#18)
    by HK on Wed May 24, 2006 at 06:26:29 AM EST
    Quayle was no dummy he was just a poor speaker
    JRT, the man himself apparently disagrees with you:
    "Public speaking is very easy." -- Vice President Dan Quayle to reporters
    You are right in that public speaking and forming coherent thoughts are separate skills, however, Quayle possessed neither, and frequently opened his mouth to prove it. I'm off to educate myself about Lloyd Bentson. It's such a shame that often you only hear about a great guy because he's gone.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#19)
    by desertswine on Wed May 24, 2006 at 07:42:51 AM EST
    AHHAHA, HK, those Quayle quotes are priceless.

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#20)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed May 24, 2006 at 08:04:09 AM EST
    Urban legend

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#21)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed May 24, 2006 at 08:14:56 AM EST
    Yes- he said a lot of dumb things, but why is it neccesary to go one step further and make some up?

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#22)
    by HK on Wed May 24, 2006 at 08:19:30 AM EST
    22 actual Quayle quotes ("my fellow astronaughts" ~ love it!) and 3 urban legends ~ kind of proves my point, doesn't it JRT? As far as Bentsen goes, I like the follow-up to the Quayle exchange:
    Ronald Reagan proclaimed during a White House photo opportunity that Bentsen's J.F.K. line was a "cheap shot." Responded Dukakis campaign manager Susan Estrich: "When the Republicans call something a cheap shot, you know you've scored a direct hit."
    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#23)
    by Jlvngstn on Wed May 24, 2006 at 02:22:10 PM EST
    Nicely said Jimcee

    Re: R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen (none / 0) (#24)
    by Sailor on Wed May 24, 2006 at 03:33:00 PM EST
    Yes- he said a lot of dumb things, but why is it neccesary to go one step further and make some up?
    Standard republican smear tactic #3 - Concentrate on one small error and extrapolate that to where the whole argument was a lie. Quayle was a freakin' idiot and tried to use JFK's name. Bentson called him on it, brilliantly. 'nuff said.

    R.I.P. Lloyd Bentsen | 24 comments (24 topical)