Dan Quayle's Reputation During the 1988 Presidential Campaign

In the summer of 1988, Republican Presidential candidate, George H. W. Bush announced Indiana Senator Dan Quayle as his running mate. While Bush was discreet in his reasoning for choosing the Senator, Quayle felt that he was a good choice because of his youth and experience. Other Senators and the press, however, felt he was unfit for the position because of his youth and perceived inexperience. This general opinion was reinforced by the number of gaffes Quayle made during the campaign. While the criticisms did not cause the Republican ticket to lose in the general election, the image of Quayle as being unfit for high political office was made during the 1988 Presidential campaign.