Quayle declares candidacy at hometown rally

By Ron Fournier, Associated Press, April 15, 1999

HUNTINGTON, Ind. -- Former Vice President Dan Quayle declared his candidacy yesterday for next year's GOP presidential nomination by pledging to rebuild American values after "a dishonest decade of Bill Clinton and Al Gore."

Seeking office for the first time since he and President Bush lost to Clinton and Gore in 1992, the former Indiana senator sought to push beyond a history of political gaffes and controversies. "Murphy Brown is gone," he said, "and I'm still here fighting for the American family."

Quayle's use of the TV sitcom in the 1992 campaign to highlight a "poverty of values" brought him criticism and ridicule from some quarters. But he returned to the theme yesterday, betting that primary voters will reward him for casting a spotlight on the family-values debate.

"The question in life is not whether you get knocked down. You will. The question is, are you ready to get back up, are you willing to get back up and fight for what you believe in?" Quayle said.

A crowd of nearly 6,000, packed to the gym rafters at his former high school, shouted "Q2K! Q2K! Q2K!" for Quayle-2000. Fireworks exploded before and after his speech, covering the stage in a haze of smoke. Rock music, hundreds of handpainted signs and an appearance by ball-tossing former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon gave the event the feel of a pep rally.

"I have come back home to announce that I will seek and I will win the presidency of the United States," Quayle said.

Gore, who succeeded Quayle as vice president and is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, was singled out by Quayle for calling President Clinton a great leader during the impeachment effort.

"What arrogance. What disdain for the values that parents are trying to teach their children. What contempt for the rule of law," Quayle said. "This should not stand."

"We are coming to the end of a dishonest decade of Bill Clinton and Al Gore," he said. "It's time we work to reclaim the values that made America great."

Gore's staff dismissed the attack. Spokesman Chris Lehane said, "Dan Quayle's vision of America will take us back to the Dark Ages of the last GOP administration."

Quayle, 52, appeared relaxed and in command of his topics.

He promoted his proposed 30 percent across-the-board tax cut, billing it as a boon to middle-income families.