"You're no Jack Kennedy"

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/300569-1&start=1099

Program not embeddable. But the time frame I would have liked to have on my blog is 18:00 to 22:00. I will also post a YouTube video.



One of the most famous moments in US political history. 1988, Vice Presidential Debate, Dan Quayle and Lloyd Bentsen.

Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy" was a quotation used during the 1988 United States vice-presidential debate by Democratic vice-presidential candidate Senator Lloyd Bentsen to Republican vice-presidential candidate Senator Dan Quayle. Jack Kennedy was a reference to John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. Since then, the words "You're no Jack Kennedy," or some variation on Bentsen's remark, have become a part of the political lexicon as a way to deflate politicians or other individuals perceived as thinking too highly of themselves.


I don't think what Quayle said was a direct comparison. You can see he is only comparing years served. But by using JFK's name, he made an implied comparison. It no longer was simply years to years. It was quality of years, and in that case Bentson got the better of him.

I give Quayle credit, he was trying to make an impactful statement that he was ready for the job at hand, and he had.  But his comparison left a big opening for a counter and Bentson leveled him.