DAN QUAYLE: JUST ABOUT AS SELF-AWARE AS HE WAS TWENTY YEARS AGO

Righty columnist Cal Thomas recently talked to Dan Quayle about Sarah Palin. Here's part of what we learn from their conversation:

Mr. Quayle ... said every criticism leveled at Mrs. Palin was leveled "almost verbatim at me." He said, "People who supported us were called by the media and our opponents 'dumb' and 'mean-spirited.' " He added, "The liberal media are scared of effective conservatives."

Yes, you read that right. Why did people make fun of Quayle? Not because he was a spoiled, incurious, inarticulate gaffe machine. No -- it was because he was so darn effective.