"You are no Jack Kennedy"

Discussion in 'The Back Room' started by Sid, May 23, 2006.

  1. Sid

    Sid Well-Known Member

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    RIP Lloyd Bentsen

    One of the true good guys in the Democratic Party who had the misfortune of hooking up with one of the worst presidential candidates (Dukakis) in my lifetime. I find it interesting that in his first run for the Senate in 1970, he defeated the elder George Bush.

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060523/ap_on_go_co/obit_bentsen_8
     
    Sid, May 23, 2006
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  2. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    He was a giant in the old Democratic Party, not to mention he knew to stay in LBJ's shadow when he was alive.

    Terry
     
    Terry O'Keefe, May 23, 2006
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  3. JO'Co

    JO'Co Well-Known Member

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    He was the last of the giants that the Democratic Party produced out of Texas, along with Lyndon Johnson, Sam Rayburn, John Connolly etc. He had a way of making you want to be on his side. He was a great one...
     
    JO'Co, May 23, 2006
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  4. gipper

    gipper Well-Known Member

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    His son served in the same National Guard unit at GW Bush. Never heard a Democrat ever rant about how his son was a draft dodger or fortunate his father had influence.
     
    gipper, May 26, 2006
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  5. Jack O'Brien

    Jack O'Brien New Member

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    "You are no Jack Kennedy" one of the best debating zingers in my lifetime. Everybody knew Quayle would mention JFK to turn the age argument. I couldn't believe Quayle's handlers didn't have a response for him ala Reagan's "youth and inexperience" retort to Fritz. Quayle just played the straight man.

    I don't know if Bentsen was one of the good guys or not.

    R.I.P. nonetheless.
     
    Jack O'Brien, May 27, 2006
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  6. Sid

    Sid Well-Known Member

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    Speaking as a Democrat who thinks like a Republican, Bentsen was one of the last "sensible" Democrats in my feeble memory who ran on a national ticket. Unfortunately, he was paired with a born-to-lose presidential candidate.

    I didn't spend much time thinking of him then or after, but I recall his easy manner, and I understand his political appeal across the spectrum. He was the perfect anti-Quayle and the debate was his to lose. As you might surmise, I am not immensely proud of Indiana's native son, Quayle. He hasn't lived here since he left DC. He's been in AZ.

    Unfortunately, in today's Democratic party, Lloyd Bentsen would be shut in the closet and hidden from view while the Pelosis and the Reids plotted the next national plank walk. I just hope Pres. Bush can recover in time to salvage the moderate vote in the '08 elections for a candidate of either party who is neither a screaming liberal nor a myopic conservative. Stay tuned.
     
    Sid, May 27, 2006
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