Dan Quayle -- Trial Balloon or Empty Suit?

Hmmmm. Maybe both.

I have a theory about our former featherweight VP and champion speller. Poppy Bush famously told the media way back in 1988 (Jesus, that seems like a lifetime ago now...) to watch his pick for Vice President and that would "tell all". Whatever the fuck that was supposed to mean.

Now I believe I know. I believe that little Danny Quayle, the least qualified, the least presidential of any holder of high office in the history of this nation until the current part-time mostly-on-vacation resident dolt in the White House, was trotted out as a stalking horse, to test the water and check the pulse of the Moron-American voting bloc.

Okay, too many mixed metaphors in there, but you get the picture.

If no one objected too strenuously to the presence on the Republican Party presidential ticket of someone who (a) lacked the basic intelligence normally required of a borderline imbecile, and (b) managed to avoid service in Vietnam by questionably escaping into an already full National Guard unit, then it would clear the way for Junior Bush, with all of his problems, disabilities and issues, to step up to the Presidency when the time was right.

Plus, it was felt, that even The Shrub would look good by comparison to the hapless Mr. Quayle. Which he did initially, if you will recall.