Who once memorably remarked that "We are ready for any unseen event that may or may not occur"?

James Danforth Quayle, known as Dan (born 1947) was the 44th Vice President of the USA, serving under George H.W. Bush.

He was a fully qualified attorney, and also the youngest senator ever to be elected from Indiana. The young Dan Quayle had a lucky escape when he decided not to join a party of delegates to Guyana who were subsequently murdered.

But, perhaps unfairly, his verbal gaffes are what spring to most people's minds on hearing his name. They are far too numerous to mention, but include unfortunate ramblings on the subject of the Holocaust, rather unscientific ones on the prospects of a mission to Mars, and such memorable observations as "I believe we are on an irreversible trend towards more freedom and democracy, but that could change".

On occasion, he has been wrongly attributed with acts of shoe leather meeting tongue - for instance, he did NOT say "Welcome to my fellow astronauts", which is a misquote, but there is still a rich seam to be mined.

He currently works for Cerberus Capital management. His son Benjamin has also served in the House of Representatives.