Bentsen on Quayle’s Qualifications: He’s No Truman

Democratic vice presidential nominee Lloyd Bentsen on Wednesday made his sharpest attack yet on his Republican counterpart, Dan Quayle, saying he would “pray for the good health of George Bush every night” if the GOP ticket is elected.

Bentsen made the comments to reporters here in President Harry S. Truman’s hometown after a speech to students at Truman High School in which he recalled the great burden that Truman had to assume with the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945.

The Democrats have been emphasizing the contrast between Quayle, the 41-year-old senator from Indiana, and Bentsen, 67, who, as Senate Finance Committee chairman, is one of the most powerful figures on Capitol Hill.

The Texas senator stopped short of pronouncing Quayle unqualified or incompetent to be President. He said only that he was “deeply concerned” by the prospect.

‘On-the-Job Training’

“He’d have to have some on-the-job training. Sometimes you don’t have time for that. I wouldn’t say he wouldn’t grow into the job, but I would hope not too much important happened while the transition was taking place,” Bentsen said.

He added that he had been “amazed and surprised” that Bush chose Quayle as his running mate over others he described as “heavyweights in the Republican Party.”

“What I see here is a man that was chosen to satisfy the hard right, who is much more in tune with the philosophy of Jesse Helms and Gordon Humphrey (two of the most conservative senators) than he is with George Bush,” Bentsen said.

Using a phrase Bush likes to employ in denouncing Democratic nominee Michael S. Dukakis, Bentsen said that Quayle is “out of the mainstream.”

Odds on Succession

Bentsen noted that the vice president has had to take over the highest office in nine of the last 30 presidencies.

Although Bentsen did not mention Quayle’s name during his speech to the high school students, his point was unmistakable.

Vice President Truman, Bentsen recalled, “felt as though all the stars and planets had fallen upon him” when Roosevelt died. Nonetheless, Bentsen said, “Harry Truman was ready because he was smart enough, and loaded with the integrity necessary to lead the forces of freedom in this world. He was up to that job.”

“Mike Dukakis is clearly qualified to lead America, and no one has ever questioned my qualifications insofar as (becoming) vice president of the United States,” Bentsen said.

‘Ready to Help Lead’

“Like Harry Truman, I’m ready. Ready to help lead America to a new era of greatness. I’m ready to help (Dukakis) create jobs and opportunity for all Americans,” Bentsen said. “I’m ready to help him make America a strong and reliable guardian of freedom in this world. And--if any tragedy should ever strike the President of the United States, I think I’m ready to lead America.”

Bentsen added: “If a presidential candidate does not choose a running mate with those kinds of qualifications, he does not respect the importance and dignity of the office of vice president.”

In addition, Bentsen criticized Bush’s proposal Monday for a new type of tax-deferred savings plan.

He said the proposal, which Bush dubbed individual savings accounts, would not offer much incentive to save money because it would give the typical taxpayer only about a $15-a-year tax break on a $1,000 deposit over five years.

“That’s ridiculous,” Bentsen said. “I don’t think that’s a serious effort. I don’t think it does the job at all.”