Dan Quayle

An old reporter often begins his daily routine by turning to the newspaper's obituary page with mild trepidation, fearing another friend has gone to that great newsroom in the sky. So it was this week in reading of the death in Baltimore, at only 62, of Richard Ben Cramer, arguably the best writer of a presidential campaign chronicle ever. That would be his 1,047-page opus of one of the less memorable contests, in 1988, among six less-than-heroic candidates: Republicans George H.W. Bush, the eventual winner, and Bob Dole; and Democrats Michael Dukakis, the eventual party nominee, Richard Gephardt, Joe Biden and Gary Hart.

WASHINGTON -- Bashing the Federal Reserve for keeping interest rates too high has been a populist Democratic staple for decades, a political mantra as well worn as raising the minimum wage or saving Social Security.But the most liberal wing of the Democratic Party now has some unlikely company in its rhetorical wars against federal monetary policy: conservative Republicans on the presidential campaign trail.The rhetoric of three presidential hopefuls -- Steve Forbes, Gary Bauer and Dan Quayle -- has amused some Democrats and raised concerned eyebrows in the pro-Republican business community that has been wildly supportive of Alan Greenspan, the Federal Reserve chairman.

REPUBLICANS in Maryland have a rare opportunity to break out of the box that has prevented them from winning statewide offices. But such a dramatic step would threaten the status quo, something that alarms many dedicated party officials.Without bold action, the state GOP seems consigned to permanent minority-party status. Democrats have a big edge in voter registration, a lock on top state posts and a deep bench of polished local officeholders eager to continue Democratic dominance.In the face of such overwhelming odds, it is not surprising that the GOP's strongest gubernatorial candidate in 30 years, Ellen Sauerbrey, got run over by a fast-moving Democratic freight train driven by Gov. Parris Glendening last November.

WASHINGTON - The spectacle of Vice President Dick Cheney sharing equal billing with President Bush in their duet before the 9/11 commission, even if it had to be sung under wraps, was a remarkable elevation of the office of presidential stand-in. Had the first American president been hauled before an investigating committee of his day to testify about his actions, George Washington almost certainly would not have agreed to bring John Adams along, nor would the investigators likely have wanted to ask his vice president anything.

Have politics in the United States evaporated? Has what political commentator Sidney Blumenthal called "the permanent campaign" given way to no campaign at all? Have we Americans, in our disgust with politics (a disgust that must include self-disgust, since it is no one but ourselves who vote the politicians into office) decided that politics has nothing to offer us?I do not believe in a Zeitgeist -- a hidden hand that, acting behind the backs of human beings, concerts their actions toward a predestined end -- yet several developments in apparently unrelated areas have seemed recently to create -- or at least to bring to light -- a striking national lull in electoral matters.

As any editorial page reader can tell you, educational issues tend to provoke great controversy these days, which is why it is noteworthy that so many voices from all quarters have been raised in favor of Acting Superintendent Berry Carter's ascension to the permanent hot seat.The board, of course, is responding to this rare show of unanimity with silence, keeping Carter and everybody else dangling in the dark, perhaps until the July deadline is reached.Why the delay? It's anybody's guess, but inside sources tell me the list of prospective superintendents is so distinguished, so laden with talent, that the board is having trouble making up its mind.

In a new book ("Edward M. Kennedy: A Biography," William Morrow, 692 pages, $27.50), Adam Clymer says Kennedy is the most outstanding senator of the century. He slightly qualifies that assessment with this: "Robert F. Wagner is probably Kennedy's most credible rival [as a legislator]." And he says that while Hubert Humphrey and Robert A. Taft were national political leaders in Kennedy's class, they weren't senators for as long. Clymer also thinks Arthur Vandenberg, Everett Dirksen and J. William Fulbright are significant also-rans for "moments" of greatness.

The status of President Bush's health, following his hospitalization and treatment for an irregular heartbeat, has touched off renewed speculation about Vice President Dan Quayle's future.Of 685 Evening Sun readers and other callers to SUNDIAL yesterday, 379, or 55 percent, do not believe that Quayle is qualified to serve as president, and 306, or 44 percent, believe that he is qualified.Of 682 callers, 374, or 54 percent, believe Bush should choose another running mate if he runs for re-election in 1992, and 308, or 45 percent, believe he should not choose another running mate.

Almost exactly 20 years ago, Barbara Dafoe Whitehead wrote a controversial essay for The Atlantic titled "Dan Quayle Was Right. " In case you forgot (or never knew), let me fill you in on what Mr. Quayle was right about. There once was a popular sitcom called "Murphy Brown. " The title character, played by Candice Bergen, was a news anchor. The show had its moments, but it was also insufferably pleased with itself and its liberalism. At least until the arrival of the Aaron Sorkin oeuvre ("The West Wing," "The Newsroom")

BOSTON -- Forgive me for being a contrarian, but Dan Quayle was not right.It's been four years, one presidential election and two book tours since that famous "Murphy Brown" speech. Today, anyone who wants to be allowed onto the family values bandwagon has to repeat the same contrite password: "Dan Quayle was right."But due to a penchant for history, and access to electronic archives, I must opt out.Dan Quayle was wrong when he said that "Murphy Brown -- a character who supposedly epitomizes today's intelligent, highly paid, professional woman -- mocked the importance of fathers by bearing a child alone and calling it just another lifestyle choice."