Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy

"Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy." was a famous statement made by Democratic vice-presidential candidate Senator Lloyd Bentsen to Republican vice-presidential candidate Senator J. Danforth Quayle during the 1988 vice-presidential debate. Jack Kennedy was a reference to John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. Since then the words "No Jack Kennedy" have become a part of the political lexicon as a way to insult a politician or other individual who thinks too highly of himself.

The full quote is as follows:

Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy.

Context

The debate was held on October 5, 1988 in Omaha, Nebraska. One of the moderators, Judy Woodruff, addressed the audience saying "based on the history since World War II, there is almost a 50-50 chance that one of the two men here tonight will become President of the United States."

After Quayle became George H. W. Bush's vice presidential running mate, questions were raised in the press about his age, his limited term of service in the Senate, his grades in college, his National Guard duty which Democrats claimed helped him avoid fighting in Vietnam and his overall ability to lead the nation in the case of the incapacitation of the President. This had become a central issue in the 1988 debate.

Quayle had been comparing himself to Kennedy in his stump speech and many people believed that Bentsen's remark had been scripted beforehand. Bentsen did casually remark in a mock debate with Dennis Eckhart that "you're no Jack Kennedy and George Bush is no Ronald Reagan." (Germond & Witcover 1989:440)

Quayle did not directly compare himself with Kennedy in terms of accomplishment, but in terms of time of Congressional service. Quayle was correct in his observation that he had served in Congress as long as Kennedy had. However, Bentsen's retort suggested that Kennedy had certain skills that made him a great leader despite his age and relative inexperience - and that Quayle lacked such skills. Quayle's advisors knew the comparison was potentially dangerous for their candidate, and Quayle was explicitly told by political handler Joe Canzeri to not make 'the Kennedy comparison' in the debate .

Transcript

A full transcript of the 1988 vice-presidential debates from Commission on Presidential Debates can be found here.

The relevant portion of that transcript follows.

Tom Brokaw: Senator Quayle, I don't mean to beat this drum until it has no more sound in it. But to follow up on Brit Hume's question, when you said that it was a hypothetical situation, it is, sir, after all, the reason that we're here tonight, because you are running not just for Vice President - (Applause)

Brokaw: And if you cite the experience that you had in Congress, surely you must have some plan in mind about what you would do if it fell to you to become President of the United States, as it has to so many Vice Presidents just in the last 25 years or so.

Quayle: Let me try to answer the question one more time. I think this is the fourth time that I've had this question.

Brokaw: The third time.

Quayle: Three times that I've had this question - and I will try to answer it again for you, as clearly as I can, because the question you are asking is what kind of qualifications does Dan Quayle have to be president, what kind of qualifications do I have and what would I do in this kind of a situation. And what would I do in this situation? I would make sure that the people in the cabinet and the people that are advisors to the president are called in, and I would talk to them, and I will work with them. And I will know them on a firsthand basis, because as vice president I will sit on the National Security Council. And I will know them on a firsthand basis, because I'm going to be coordinating the drug effort. I will know them on a firsthand basis because Vice President George Bush is going to recreate the Space Council, and I will be in charge of that. I will have day-to-day activities with all the people in government. And then, if that unfortunate situation happens - if that situation, which would be very tragic, happens, I will be prepared to carry out the responsibilities of the presidency of the United States of America. And I will be prepared to do that. I will be prepared not only because of my service in the Congress, but because of my ability to communicate and to lead. It is not just age; it's accomplishments, it's experience. I have far more experience than many others that sought the office of vice president of this country. I have as much experience in the Congress as Jack Kennedy did when he sought the presidency. I will be prepared to deal with the people in the Bush administration, if that unfortunate event would ever occur.

Judy Woodruff: Senator Bentsen.

Bentsen: Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy. (Prolonged boos and applause) What has to be done in a situation like that is to call in the -

Woodruff: Please, please, once again you are only taking time away from your own candidate.

Quayle: That was really uncalled for, Senator. (Shouts and applause)

Bentsen: You are the one that was making the comparison, Senator - and I'm one who knew him well. And frankly I think you are so far apart in the objectives you choose for your country that I did not think the comparison was well-taken.

Popular culture

Bentsen's remark caused Quayle's comparison to Kennedy to be dropped immediately from his stump speech, but it continued to haunt him. One joke went "What did Marilyn Quayle say to Dan Quayle after making love? 'Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy.'" (Germond & Witcover 1989:441)

Four years later at the 1992 Republican National Convention, Ronald Reagan answered claims by Bill Clinton's campaign, while poking fun at his own age, by saying, "This fellow they've nominated claims he's the new Thomas Jefferson. Well, let me tell you something. I knew Thomas Jefferson. He was a friend of mine. And governor, you're no Thomas Jefferson." Ironically, the introduction video for George H. W. Bush's acceptance speech also compared him to Thomas Jefferson.

On Saturday Night Live, Kiefer Sutherland played the role of Lloyd Bentsen in a nine-person debate. The sketch had the candidates attempting to ruin their chances of becoming the nominee to avoid losing to George H. W. Bush in the 1992 U.S. Presidential election. In the sketch Mario Cuomo (played by Phil Hartman) admitted "mob ties". Al Gore decided not to appear instead sending Tipper Gore. Kevin Nealon as Bill Bradley compared Bentsen to Jack Kennedy. Bentsen replied "Senator Bradley, I knew Jack Kennedy. I worked with Jack Kennedy. I am no Jack Kennedy." (Ironically, in real life, the candidate who did win the Democratic nomination, Bill Clinton, went on to defeat George H.W. Bush in the general election, using not only comparisons of himself to Kennedy but also a picture of himself meeting Kennedy at the White House in 1963.)

The thrash metal band Megadeth used the quote, "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy." in a song titled "I Know Jack" in the album The System Has Failed.

In the Seinfeld episode "The Phone Message" George states "I don't know what to do, so I just stood there. Like, remember how Quayle looked when Bentsen gave him that Kennedy line? That's what I looked like."

In the Justice League Unlimited episode Secret Society, Part 2 a henchman says "Listen, buddy, I know Batman, I once ratted out a counterfeiter to Batman and believe me, you're no Batman."

References

Germond, Jack W. and Witcover, Jules, Whose Broad Stripes and Bright Stars: The Trivial Pursuit of the Presidency 1988, Warner Books, New York, 1989

tv.com/justice-league-unlimited/secert-society-2/episode/212545/triva.html

External links

• "In the spirit of the first JFK" -- Ted Kennedy's comparison of John Forbes Kerry to Jack Kennedy