"Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy"

http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/05/23/ap2767181.html

Bentsen's retort in the televised event caused a sensation. "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy," he said. "I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."
This, of course, was during his debate with Dan Quayle. I remember that moment and remember cheering...because I hated seeing Quayle try to emulate Kennedy. By virtually any measure, Kennedy was one of the worst Presidents in history. Why would anyone want to imitate him?
Let's look at his record. On Civil Rights, he promised great things but moved backwards. Martin Luther King Jr. saw him as enemy, not ally. It was under the reviled Lyndon B. Johnson that The Great Society was born (although, to be fair, it also died under him...remember King Jr.s (paraphrased) quote that the War on Poverty was lost in the battlefields of Vietnam).
How about internationally? People rightfully hail his phyrric victory over the Cuban Missile crisis but forget he was the one who moved Vietnam from something involving a handful of "advisors" to a full-blown war...err, plice action.
On the bright side, he did attain power legitimately via the work his Dad did with the Outfit...and for those not familiar with the outfit, please note the word legitimately there is dripping with sarcasm. In a nation with a long history of inept, corrupt, illegitimate Presidential elections going well back into the 1800s, this was one of the most corrupt elections ever. This one made Russian elections look legitimate.
However, there was a lot that Kennedy accomplished that really helped the nation move forward. Like FDR before him, he enhanced the moral fiber of the white house with his actions: FDR with his open lawbreaking and JFK with his firm record of faithfulness to his wife.
I find it funny that Grant, castigated for his Presidency, made a point of telling the police officer who stopped him for driving while intoxicated to do his duty and paid the penalty. Grant may have had his faults, but I would take someone with his personal integrity any day of the week and twice on Sunday before I would take an FDR or JFK.
And when Quayle was complimented by Bentsen it only reinforced that. Sure, if we want a nation with mounting debts, our nose in the business of other nations, personal moral culpability, JFK was the man. But if not, being no Jack Kennedy is one of the highest compliments you can pay.