Dan Quayle considered running in 2000, but pulled out. As we approach the 2004 elections, Quayle's interest has been recharged, and he's looking to snatch the Republican nomination from George W. Bush.

That would be no mean feat, as incumbant presidents are almost shoo-ins for their party's nomination going into the election. For Quayle to up-end Bush, he'll need to be quick on his mental feet and clever with his words. Or, at least, moreso than Bush.

The two engaged in their first debate. Early to start debates? Certainly. But you can't keep Bush away from the debate circuit, and this campaign for party nomination looks like it's going to be an intense one, right from the start.

Moderator: Do you feel the fears that the US faces a long war of attrition in Iraq, as American soldiers are killed over a long period, are justified?

Quayle: "Vietnam is a jungle. You had jungle warfare. Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, you have sand. [There is no need to worry about a protracted war because] from a historical basis, Middle East conflicts do not last a long time." ¹

Moderator: And Mr. Bush? Same question

Bush: "My answer is bring them on." ²

"The ambassador and the general were briefing me on the...the vast majority of Iraqis want to live in a peaceful, free world. And we will find these people and we will bring them to justice." ³

Moderator: Would you like to rebutt, Mr. Quayle?

Quayle: "My opponent knows less about national defense than I know about spelling. Even I know it's Cruise missiles, not Patriot missiles that go through doors and chimneys." ⁴

"We're going to have the best- educated American people in the world." 22

Moderator: There's a growing concern that a class structure is emerging in the United States, the rich increasingly stratified from the decreasing middle class and increasing lower class. How do you respond to such a feeling, Mr. Bush?

Bush: "First, let me make it very clear, poor people aren't necessarily killers. Just because you happen to be not rich doesn't mean you're willing to kill." ⁵

"There may be some tough times here in America. But this country has gone through tough times before, and we're going to do it again." ⁶

Moderator: Bush promises more tough economic times ahead. How do you respond to that, Mr. Quayle?

Quayle: "We lead in exporting jobs." ⁷

Moderator: And that's a positive thing?

Quayle: "If you listen to the news, read the news, you'd think we were still in a recession. Well, we're not in a recession. We've had growth; people need to know that. They need to be more upbeat, more positive..." ⁸

Moderator: I see. Moving on, how do you feel about corporate polluters vis a vis the environment?

Quayle: "It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it."

Moderator: Mr. Bush?

Bush: "This is Preservation Month. I appreciate preservation. It's what you do when you run for president. You gotta preserve." ⁹

Moderator: As we enter an era of globalization, what do you feel is the most important thing to keep in mind, in terms of foreign affairs? Mr. Bush?

Bush: "Keep good relations with the Grecians." ¹⁰

Moderator: Anything else?

Bush: "I will have a foreign-handed foreign policy." ¹¹

Moderator: Mr. Quayle, your thoughts?

Quayle: "We are ready for any unforeseen event [in the Middle East] that may or may not occur." ¹²

Moderator: California has recently been a hot topic, starting with the tech industry collapse, continuing with the energy crisis and now with the recall election. What gives you insight into how to handle California and its unique political landscape?

Quayle: "I love California, I practically grew up in Phoenix." ¹³

Moderator: Mr. Bush?

"Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?" 23

Bush: "I was raised in the West. The west of Texas. It's pretty close to California. In more ways than Washington, D.C., is close to California." ¹⁴

Moderator: Do you feel that there's an educational crisis in America?

Bush: "We want our teachers to be trained so they can meet the obligations; their obligations as teachers. We want them to know how to teach the science of reading. In order to make sure there's not this kind of federal...federal cufflink." ¹⁵

Quayle: "Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our children." ¹⁶

Moderator: I hesitate to bring this up, but both of you have, at times, come under fire for not having the intelligence to execute this office. How do you each respond to that?

Quayle: "We're all capable of mistakes, but I do not care to enlighten you on the mistakes we may or may not have made." ¹⁷

Moderator: But haven't you said some things you regret?

Quayle: "I stand by all the misstatements that I've made." ¹⁸

Moderator: Mr. Bush, how do you respond?

Bush: "I think anybody who doesn't think I'm smart enough to handle the job is underestimating." ¹⁹

Moderator: I think we can finish this up with closing comments from each candidate.

Quayle: "You always learn something by reading the classics. Particularly The Prince. I go through and look at this from this intellectual point of view. Machiavelli had these three classes of mind. The first class was the person that was creative enough to be leader and be able to lead a great nation without much help. The second class of mind was one that wasn't creative but could take ideas, put people around him, and be able to lead nations forward. And the third class of people didn't really know much of anything. And they were the worst kind of leaders, because not only were they not creative, but they didn't know what was right or wrong, and they just sort of went by whatever they felt like.

I've tried to figure out where I am. I know I'm not the first because I don't think I have the creativeness that Machiavelli talks about. If I go back and reread it I might figure it out exactly where I put myself. I'm somewhere between two and one." ²⁰

Bush: "I want it to be said that the Bush administration was a results-oriented administration, because I believe the results of focusing our attention and energy on teaching children to read and having an education system that's responsive to the child and to the parents, as opposed to mired in a system that refuses to change, will make America what we want it to be--a literate country and a hopefuller country." ²¹

Moderator: Thanks for coming.

And drive home safe everyone! Both of these guys are out there, on the same roads you are.