Jim Newton

Itasca

Former Vice President Mike Pence just won the JFK Profiles in Courage Award for upholding the Constitution on January 6, 2021. Pence’s willingness to certify the 2020 election results saved an already confused America additional grief. While some observers insist that Pence was just doing his job, I don’t begrudge him the award. He did his duty while protesters chanted “Hang Mike Pence!”

As we celebrate our Constitutional process for passing the torch, can we also recall that Pence received counsel from former VP Dan Quayle? Pence sought Quayle’s advice by phone before the insurrection. Then Quayle did his duty strongly advising Pence to certify the election. Maybe Pence would have even without Quayle’s advice.

Quayle has been pretty quiet since that phone call, no grandstanding, no Dan-Quayle-dressed-like-the-Pope memes, or other garish calls for attention.

Again, congratulations to former VP Mike Pence on this award. But how about an honorable mention and “thank you” to Dan Quayle?