Virtually every story on the death of Lloyd Bentsen has focused on the quote most people remember him for in his debate with Dan Quayle: “Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.”
I remember Lloyd Bentsen for another quote – older and I think more significant: “I propose the president of the United States advise the commander of the North Korean troops to withdraw his forces beyond the 38th parallel within one week or use that week to evacuate civilians from a specified list of North Korean cities that will be subjected to atomic attack by the United States Air Force.”
Congressman Lloyd Bentsen, 1950
Here is an audio clip of the quote. (thanks to Scott Horton)
This quote is featured in the great movie, The Atomic Cafe.