Friday, August 29, 2008

Where are they now? Dan Quayle

Heresy Corner's veiled reference to Dan Quayle's spelling problems led me to wonder what he is doing now.

The biography on his website tells us:

Since leaving public office, Dan Quayle has authored three books: Standing Firm, A Vice-Presidential Memoir which was on the New York Times bestseller list for 15 weeks; The American Family: Discovering the Values that Make Us Strong; and Worth Fighting For.

He established and sold an insurance business in Indiana . For two years he was a distinguished visiting professor of international studies at Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management.

Currently, Dan Quayle is Chairman of Cerberus Global Investments, LLC (Cerberus), President of Quayle & Associates, and serves on the boards of directors of IAP Worldewide Services, Inc., K2, Inc and Aozora Bank, Ltd in Tokyo . He makes frequent public appearances and speeches, and writes a nationally syndicated weekly newspaper column.

He must be the first Vice President of the USA to go on to sell insurance.

Wikipedia suggests that Quayle did try a political comeback after George Bush Snr's defeat by Bill Clinton in 1992 meant he was no longer Vice President:

Quayle considered but decided not to run for Governor of Indiana in 1994.

He pulled out of his bid for the 1996 Republican presidential nomination, citing health problems related to phlebitis.

In April 1999, he announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for 2000, attacking George W. Bush by saying "we do not want another candidate who needs on-the-job training".

In the first contest among the Republican candidates, the Ames Straw Poll of August 1999, he finished eighth. Commentators said that while he had the most political experience among prospective candidates (over Bush and Elizabeth Dole) and potential grassroots support among conservatives, his campaign was hampered by the legacy of his vice-presidency.

This video (which includes the potato incident) will show you why Quayle is about the only person who could make George W. Bush look competent. And then you should read Dan Quayle's Skeleton Closet.

You could even visit the Dan Quayle Vice Presidential Museum.

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