I hope there's no traffic on the way to his funeral. Otherwise, the mourners would be in........GRIDLOCK!!!!!
He should never have agreed to become Perot's running mate, and Perot should never have put him in that position. I was going to say it tarnished his legacy - well, his real legacy is untarnishable. But it's a shame that after his career, the nation's introduction to him was in that disastrous vice-presidential debate. He deserved a lot better.
That, and if you look at the guys he was debating it wasn't even close (says the democrat). Sen Al Gore. VP Dan Quayle. And this guy. Transcript But, he looked bad on TV, and was sunk. Sad that TV can make a "star" out of a talking bag of hair like Stone Phillips and ruin the image of a guy like this. Shocking. Rest Easy, bro.
Agreed. But he did have one of the best lines in American debate history... I believe that a woman owns her body and what she does with it is her own business, period. (Applause.) Period. (Applause.) It's interesting to read the transcripts of that debate, because Stockdale's words read better now than they sounded when I watched it. But regardless of what he did in 1992, a truly great man. RIP.
Yeah, I'm reading the part Jamison quoted and I'm thinking this couldn't possibly be the guy who became the butt of SNL jokes.
Yeah, but if Chevy Chase could make a name for himself doing pratfalls to make fun of a President who was, in actuality, an incredible athlete...it's not too surprising, I suppose.
RIP. AFAIC the term hero is thrown around far too freely. But not in Admiral Stockdale's case. He really was a true American hero.
Very sorry to hear this news. Admiral Stockdale was tough as nails and one of the finest men this nation has ever produced. RIP.
I admit, my first real exposure to him was the debates, and I laughed and laughed. Then I read about who he actually was. I felt about, oh, two inches high. Godspeed, Admiral.
That was pretty much my reaction as well. The only thing funnier was the Democractic and Republican spinmeisters arguing that their opponent finished in 3rd place in the debates.
Perhaps I did not articulate my point well enough. Yes, I SAW the 92 VP debate....and the SNL sketch parody of it......it was during my first year of law school and I watched it with a bunch of classmates. My point was that parodies like those done by SNL comics don't really take into consideration the total person.....they pick one flaw or odd moment....like Ford slipping or Stockdale looking lost during the debate and that becomes the person.
It's a mixed bag. Frankly, if he wasn't Perot's running mate, he would have been another great American who passed away in total obscurity despite his incredible life story. I felt uncomfortable for him during that debate, but I am a better person for having learned about him, and that would most likely have never happened without Ross Perot. Knowing the ravaging effects of alzheimer's, I feel a sense of relief for the person when they final pass. Same with Reagan last year. Such a full life shouldn't end that way.
I completely agree with this point. At least now people will be discussing Stockdale's heroic career and many accomplishments, but IMO SNL did little to shape Stockdale's image. Sadly, that was accomplished during the debate, the only time most Americans were exposed to him. In fairness, I doubt any of us would have done better.
That's an interesting point. How many people would have heard about the brilliant Salieri but for Amadeus (and other libels dating back to the early 19th century)?
While it's sad that his only moment in the national spotlight was the 1992 VP debate, most casual observers just moved onto the next joke of the week. But if his candidacy inspired even a few people to find out more about him, then I think the good that came out of it outweighs the bad.