Bush-Quayle Ticket

Now that it seems almost a certainty that George W. Bush will become the
Republican nominee for President, attention will soon focus upon whom Governor
Bush will pick for his Vice Presidential running mate. It is rumored that one of
the names on the 'short list' currently being floated in upper level Republican
circles is former Vice President, Dan Quayle.


For many, there seems to be some very sound reasoning for picking Quayle. As
was pointed out by one senior official who wished not be identified, Quayle
"already knows how to do the job, will contribute gaffes that will deflect
attention away from Bush's own, and in a cost saving side benefit will help the
party minimize printing costs for new 'Bush-Quayle' posters and bumper stickers
(since they can use the leftovers from the 1988 and 1992 campaigns).


Apparently, part of the overall strategy is the targeting of a key demographic
group that has been virtually ignored in previous presidential campaigns: Senile
and confused voters. One recent survey puts the 'senile and confused' at
approximately 3.8% of the voting population. The hope is that this group will
mistakenly believe that this is the same Bush-Quayle ticket they voted for in
1988 and 1992 and will once again cast their votes for another, albeit
different, Bush-Quayle ticket. The dilemma facing Republican strategists however
is determining how best to mount an effective campaign that will get out the
'senile and confused' vote. One strategist sighed, "They're a hard group to
reach, let alone give instructions to."


Additionally, word has it that the former Vice President is undertaking some
unique preparations for another run at the Vice Presidency. Included in his
training regimen is a comprehensive reading of Webster�s Dictionary cover to
cover as well as listening to the popular vocabulary-building program on
cassette tapes, "Verbal Advantage."


For many, the inclusion of former Vice President Quayle on the ticket will
spell 'opportunities'. When one reporter asked Quayle "what do you think about
running on a ticket with a Bush again," the former Vice President expressed that
he was "clearly delighted" about it. However, Quayle did seem somewhat puzzled
and perplexed as to why Bush has now added a "W" to his name when he didn't seem
to use one before.