Tuesday's Inauguration a "Magical Moment," Says Former VP Dan Quayle '69

January 22, 2009

January 22, 2009, Greencastle, Ind. — "It was a magical moment as all inaugurations are," says Dan Quayle, America's 44th vice president and 1969 graduate of DePauw University, who sat with other former vice presidents on the platform as Barack Obama was sworn in Tuesday. "The American people get together to celebrate the election of a president, and in this case, it was the celebration of a new president and a historic new president," Quayle tells the Palm Springs Desert Sun. "We wish him the very best and I thought his speech was very good. It was unifying."

Quayle is in Southern California to participate in the Bob Hope Classic. The newspaper reports, "while most of the golfers in the Bob Hope Classic were trying to get in practice rounds on Tuesday, Quayle was able to witness history and then rush to the airport, make a cross-country trip and get to the Coachella Valley in time for his tee time Wednesday." (photo at right shows Quayle signing an autograph at the tournament/ courtesy: Desert Sun/Marilyn Chung)

Of President Obama's speech, Quayle notes, "He said look, we have challenges, and we're going to work together, roll up our sleeves, assume responsibility and get the job done, so it was very inspiring. I thought the rhetoric was good, the tone was excellent and he's off to a very good start."

Quayle, a Republican who was elected to two terms in both the House of Representatives and Senate before being named George H.W. Bush's running mate, says his party will regroup. “We just need to take our time and let President Obama make some decisions and see what the Democratic Congress is going to do. Then the Republicans will have to establish what the party is all about. The party used to be very much about strong national defense, fiscal responsibility, free enterprise, incentives for entrepreneurs. So we'll take a little time out right now, have a discussion amongst ourselves and get back to business. New leaders will emerge and they will set the agenda. It's not going to be the election of a national chairman or individual senator, or congressman or woman. It's going to be the emergence of a next generation and they will set the agenda."

Quayle recalls playing in the tournament in 1992, when he was paired with Bob Hope and former President Gerald Ford, with John Daly as the pro in their foursome. "It was a very interesting foursome. Bob Hope was singing and talking, Gerry Ford was out there trying not to hit people and they had a good give-and-take," the former VP tells the newspaper. "It wasn't very serious golf, I will say that. John Daly was trying to play serious golf, and I was there trying to keep an even keel on things."

Read the full story at the Desert Sun's Web site.

Learn more about Dan Quayle in this recent article.

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