In September 22, 1992, Dan Quayle meets with the daughter of a state trooper murdered by man listening to 2Pacalypse Now. Quayle makes the statement, “There is absolutely no reason for a record like this to be published in our society,”.
Vice President Dan Quayle has set his family-values sights on what he sees as a new demon in the entertainment world.
Having fired a few values volleys at Murphy Brown — and taken a few hits in return — he now is targeting a rap performer, Tupac Amaru Shakur, and his record company, Interscope Records of Los Angeles.
The rapper’s latest album, “2pacalypse Now,” includes some angry lyrics about killing police officers, and the Vice President says the album’s production and distribution constitute “an irresponsible corporate act.” He says the album should be pulled from stores.
Underscoring his concern, Mr. Quayle met yesterday in Houston with the daughter of a state trooper who was fatally shot by a man who said he had been listening to “2pacalypse Now” and its lyrics about “droppin’ the cop.” Interscope Records is a subsidiary of Time-Warner and is run by Frederick W. Field. A week ago Mr. Field was the host of a glittering Hollywood fund-raiser for Gov. Bill Clinton.
But Mr. Quayle insists he is not trying to make a political nexus between the cop-killer rap and Mr. Clinton. Rather, he says, record executives should think twice before backing productions like “2pacalypse Now.”
“There is absolutely no reason for a record like this to be published by a responsible corporation,” he asserted in Houston. Arkansas Escapee Tries Unusual Plea
Comes now the defendant, Charles Lloyd Patterson, telling the United States District Court in Denver that a devilish Republican made him do it. Like Willie Horton before him, Mr. Patterson failed to return from a prison furlough, in his case an Arkansas prison. And like Mr. Horton, according to the police, Mr. Patterson committed a crime while on the lam, hijacking a plane in Colorado.
Mr. Horton was charged with rape while on furlough from a Massachusetts prison. As a result, Governor Michael S. Dukakis’s handling of that state’s furlough policy became a fat target in 1988.
Mr. Patterson told the Denver court that he did not return from his prison furlough because an Arkansas Republican, Gerald Fulbright of Batesville, persuaded him that his continued absence would make Gov. Bill Clinton’s management of Arkansas prisons look “real bad.” Mr. Patterson said he was told he would be “taken care of” if he stayed on the lam through the election.
Mr. Fulbright, the chairman of the Independence County Republican Committee, denied all.
“This is a trial, not a Presidential campaign,” ruled Judge Jim Carrigan.
“Guilty,” said the jury.
Mr. Patterson faces 35 years to life. A sentencing date has not been set. Fleet Phantom At the Helm
Ever since he arrived at the White House to take over as President Bush’s chief of staff and chief political adviser, James A. Baker 3d has been laying low.
Now and again his tracks have been spotted on some Bush speech or appearance or political machination. But for the most part, he has been the phantom of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
The joke in the West Wing is that he last was spotted ducking into an obscure men’s room.
Officially, Mr. Baker is said to be working so hard that he has no time to surface. But longtime Baker watchers think there is more to the absence than, well, meets the eye.
They say his modus operandi has always been to remain in the background whenever things are in doubt and might go wrong. And they predict that if Mr. Bush does not make a better race out of the 1992 election, Mr. Baker will remain the phantom of the West Wing, not just out of sight but also out of the way of blame.
Baker watchers will know more today. Maybe.
He is scheduled to go to Capitol Hill to brief Republican legislators on the progress of the race.
Source : nytimes.com
