Quayle Strongly Defends Guard Service as Bentsen Tries to Exploit Controversy

Republican vice presidential nominee Dan Quayle offered a brief but passionate defense of his National Guard service to a sympathetic audience of Guard members and veterans on Wednesday, while his Democratic counterpart, Lloyd Bentsen, began some gentle needling designed to keep the issue of Quayle’s military service alive.

“I’m not looking for any medals,” the Indiana senator said to the cheering audience of about 1,000 present and former Guard members, but “I served loyally.”

“The National Guard has had a long and distinguished history as part of America’s national defense,” he said. “Three hundred thousand National Guardsmen fought in World War II, 15 won the Medal of Honor, and nobody called them ‘weekend warriors.’

‘Not Ashamed of It’

“When I entered the Guard, I was not seeking special treatment. I wasn’t looking for favors. No rules were broken. And, in the words of virtually every single person involved two decades ago, no efforts were made unfairly to influence the process . . . . I served loyally and I served to the best of my ability. Nearly 20 years ago I had no reason to be ashamed of my service. And, you know what? I’m sure as hell not ashamed of it now!”

The audience gave him a rousing ovation.

Quayle has been vigorously denying reports that he used the clout of his influential publishing family to gain a coveted stateside slot in the National Guard during the Vietnam War.

Carefully Aimed Swipes

Bentsen, meanwhile, took some carefully aimed swipes at his opponent in what appeared to be the first clear-cut attempt by Democrats to exploit the controversy over Quayle’s military record.

He made no direct mention of Quayle’s military service Thursday, but in a press conference in Lexington, Ky., he alluded to his own record as a decorated World War II veteran.

In response to a question, he said he did not think Quayle was too young to serve as President should something happen to his running mate, Vice President George Bush, but added: “You have to have some maturity regardless of what your age happens to be. . . . Some of the things that happened to me early on in combat make you grow up pretty fast.”

‘Deathbed Conversion’

In addition, the Texas senator accused Quayle of having undergone a “deathbed conversion” earlier this week when he apologized to the Veterans of Foreign Wars for opposing legislation to elevate the Veterans Administration to Cabinet status.

“I was surprised the other day to read about Dan Quayle’s appearance before the VFW in Chicago,” Bentsen said to a gathering of Southern state legislators in Lexington, noting that Quayle was one of only 11 senators to oppose the legislation when it came up for a vote recently.

‘Youthful Indiscretion’

“But, when he stood up before the VFW, he had a deathbed conversion. He saluted smartly, did an about-face and announced that he actually favored the Cabinet post. He said his vote against the proposal was a ‘youthful indiscretion.’

“A youthful indiscretion? My friends, that vote occurred only five weeks ago, on July 8, 1988. I don’t think America can risk youthful indiscretion in someone who could become our President at any moment.”

As Bentsen was working subtly to highlight his opponent’s problem, Quayle was trying out a new strategy to defuse it--he simply refused to talk about it all day until his evening address to the National Guard group. On his first solo campaign swing, Quayle avoided reporters, canceling a promised “press availability” in St. Louis and ignoring questions that reporters shouted at him from a distance.

Attacks Dukakis

Quayle, whose hawkish record on military matters seems at odds with his service record in the view of some critics, attacked Democratic presidential candidate Michael S. Dukakis for opposing military spending programs and Reagan Administration initiatives such as aid to Nicaraguan rebels, the invasion of Grenada and the bombing of Libya.

“The roll call of Michael Dukakis’ defense and foreign policy positions amounts to a litany of retreat--a prescription for American retrenchment in the 1990s,” Quayle told the Guard audience.

Ironically, the paths of the vice presidential contenders crossed for the first time Wednesday at the Lexington airport even as the two headed in strategically opposite directions over the National Guard issue. Bentsen was headed out of town after speaking to the Southern legislators and Quayle had just landed to speak to the same group when they met on the tarmac.

Rivals Exchange Jokes

The two exchanged jokes and handshakes during the unscheduled encounter.

“I’ve warmed up the crowd for you,” the 67-year-old Bentsen told his 41-year-old counterpart.

“I hope you said good things about me,” Quayle responded. Replied Bentsen: “I don’t want to wish you that much good luck.”

An Indiana National Guard official says that it took less time for an unemployed truck driver to be sworn into the Guard than it did Dan Quayle. Page 20.