Race for the White House: 'High drama' in Omaha debate

Oct 02, 2008 (Omaha World-Herald - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- GOOG | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- A sly smile crept across Lloyd Bentsen's face as his vice presidential rival, Dan Quayle, compared his congressional experience to John F. Kennedy's.

When Quayle finished, Bentsen delivered one of the most memorable zingers ever, in a political debate that occurred 20 years ago in Omaha.

"Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy," said Bentsen, drawing gasps from the crowd in the Civic Auditorium.

"That was really uncalled for, Senator," Quayle retorted.

The Bentsen remark drew howls of outrage from Republicans and chortles from Democrats; but, today, most people agree it was a verbal slam dunk -- one that lives on through historical accounts and the YouTube video archives.

Republicans and Democrats agree there are plenty of similarities between the Bentsen-Quayle debate and tonight's vice presidential debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. And there are lessons from that debate of two decades ago, including that a vice presidential debate has limitations on how it can affect the outcome of an election.

The Omaha debate on Oct. 5, 1988, drew considerable nationwide attention, in large part because of Quayle.

Like Palin, Quayle was relatively unknown when tapped by George H.W. Bush as his running mate. And, like Palin, questions arose whether Quayle had the experience and gravitas to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. Bentsen, by contrast, had more than two decades of experience in Washington.

An estimated 50 million viewers tuned in to the Bentsen-Quayle debate. Political observers say the Biden-Palin debate could draw similar numbers.

"Dan Quayle was the Sarah Palin of his time," said Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey.

The 1988 debate drew political and news media luminaries to Omaha. Dan Rather and Lesley Stahl were there, as well as Arkansas' little-known governor, Bill Clinton. Also in the audience was GOP operative Lee Atwater, Bush's campaign manager.

It was a raucous auditorium crowd of 2,660. In fact, debate moderator Judy Woodruff paused several times to admonish the crowd to be quiet. When it ended, the executive director of the Commission on Presidential Debates expressed "disappointment" with the audience.

It was "high drama," said former U.S. Sen. David Karnes, an Omaha attorney and Republican.

Karnes was sitting near Marilyn Quayle, Dan Quayle's wife, in the front row when Bentsen delivered his potent put-down.

"I remember not wanting to look over at Marilyn," said Karnes, who said he knew instantly that the line was a body blow. "It was kind of like at a volleyball game, when someone puts one away."

Newspaper accounts noted that the crowd gasped. Karnes said he remembers a "pregnant pause" before Democrats in the room erupted in applause.

"Dan had kind of a bit of a surprised look on his face, which at the time was replayed over and over (on television)," said Karnes.

Chris Abboud, a state senator at the time, said he came into the debate as a Quayle supporter but left admiring Bentsen's oratorical skills.

"I've heard thousands of political speeches, and that one, I do remember. It was a memorable line," said Abboud, a Republican.

Many Republicans considered it a low blow. President Ronald Reagan called it a "cheap shot."

Republicans blamed the press, saying Quayle faced more scrutiny than Bentsen going into the debate. They criticized then-NBC anchorman Tom Brokaw for asking Quayle three times what he would do if he suddenly found himself president.

"Why didn't they ask Lloyd Bentsen that question?" said then-U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson, a Wyoming Republican.

Democrats crowed that the debate showed Quayle was not ready to be president and that he ducked tough questions.

"If this had been the Olympics, he'd have beaten Greg Louganis, because he took a dive every time," Bill Clinton said at the time.

While the debate may have underscored doubts about Quayle's experience, it did little to hurt the man at the top of the Republican ticket.

Bush and Quayle easily defeated Democrat Michael Dukakis and Bentsen in the fall.

"These zingers are great at the time, but they don't mean a great deal in predicting who will win a race," said Fahey.

--Contact the writer: 444-1309, robynn.tysver@owh.com

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