The Republicans:The Quayle Quagmire

Despite an eloquent speech, Bush emerges from New Orleans less than triumphant

"A Vice President cannot help you, he can only hurt you."

-- Richard Nixon, 1968

"I'm proud to have Dan Quayle at my side."

-- George Bush, 1988

The New Orleans convention was supposed to reveal the real George Bush to the American electorate. In that, it certainly succeeded, both for better and for worse. On Thursday night the Vice President delivered a stirring acceptance speech that was the equal of Michael Dukakis' oratorical triumph in Atlanta. In a strong, I'm-the-guy-in-charge-now voice, Bush fused masterful metaphors and political put-downs with his campaign themes of family, freedom and the future. He adroitly...

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