Dan Quayle Potato: The Spelling Bee Incident Explained

In 1988, then-Vice Presidential candidate Dan Quayle incorrectly corrected a child who had spelled “potato” correctly during a spelling bee event, insisting the correct spelling was “potatoe” – a misspelling that became one of the most famous political gaffes in American history.

The Dan Quayle Potato Incident: What Really Happened

On June 15, 1988, during a campaign stop in Trenton, New Jersey, Senator Dan Quayle, then the Republican nominee for Vice President, participated in a ceremonial sixth-grade spelling bee at the Eisenhower Middle School. The moment that would define his public image occurred when 12-year-old William Figueroa correctly spelled “potato” on his placard. Quayle, consulting a pre-arranged cue card provided by his staff, insisted the correct spelling was “potatoe” with an “e” at the end.

This seemingly minor error became a national sensation, transforming what should have been a routine campaign event into one of the most enduring political blunders in modern American history. The incident wasn't just about misspelling a common word – it became symbolic of perceptions about Quayle's preparedness for high office.

Timeline of the Infamous Spelling Bee

Date	Event
June 15, 1988	Quayle participates in Trenton middle school spelling bee
June 15, 1988 (immediately after)	National media begins reporting the “potatoe” incident
June 16, 1988	Quayle's staff claims the error came from a pre-printed card
June 17-30, 1988	Comedians and late-night hosts begin incorporating “potatoe” jokes
1988-1992	“Potatoe” becomes shorthand for political gaffes in American media
Present day	Incident remains one of the most referenced political blunders in history

Why This Spelling Mistake Mattered So Much

The “potatoe” incident resonated far beyond a simple spelling error for several important reasons:

• Context of the campaign: Quayle was already facing questions about his readiness for the Vice Presidency at age 41, making any perceived intellectual lapse particularly damaging
• Visual impact: Television footage of Quayle confidently correcting a child created an indelible image that played repeatedly on news programs
• Symbolic value: The error became shorthand for concerns about Quayle's competence and preparation for high office
• Media amplification: Late-night comedians and editorial cartoonists seized on the moment, extending its cultural shelf life

According to political historian Dr. Robert Lehrman, “The potatoe incident wasn't just about misspelling a word – it became a Rorschach test for how voters perceived Quayle's overall fitness for office. For those already skeptical of his qualifications, it confirmed their doubts. For supporters, it was an unfortunate but isolated mistake.”

Fact vs. Fiction: Setting the Record Straight

Over time, several misconceptions have developed around the potato incident. Let's clarify what actually happened:

Common Belief	Documented Fact
Quayle invented the misspelling himself	His staff provided a pre-printed card with “potatoe” written on it
The child misspelled the word	William Figueroa spelled “potato” correctly on his placard
Quayle didn't realize his mistake	He reportedly recognized the error immediately after the event
The incident decided the election	While damaging, many factors contributed to the Bush-Quayle campaign's challenges

The Lasting Cultural Impact

What makes the Dan Quayle potato incident particularly noteworthy is its remarkable staying power in American political culture. Unlike many political gaffes that fade from public memory, “potatoe” has endured for decades as a cultural reference point.

Media analysis from the Pew Research Center shows that references to “potatoe” continue to surface during political campaigns, particularly when candidates make similar public mistakes. The incident has become part of the political lexicon, with journalists and commentators using “potatoe moment” to describe any instance where a politician appears out of touch or unprepared.

The U.S. Senate Historical Office notes that while Quayle went on to serve as Vice President for four years and had policy accomplishments, the potato incident remains the single event most associated with his public image.

Why This Matters for Understanding Political Communication

The Dan Quayle potato incident offers valuable lessons about modern political communication that remain relevant today:

• Visual moments trump policy positions: A single 30-second clip can overshadow months of policy work
• Preparation matters: Even ceremonial events require careful vetting of all materials
• Media amplification: What might have been a minor error in the pre-cable news era became a national story through constant replay
• Context is everything: The same mistake might have been forgotten if Quayle hadn't been a relatively unknown figure facing scrutiny about his qualifications

Political communication expert Dr. Kathleen Hall Jamieson observed, “The potatoe incident demonstrated how television could reduce complex political figures to single, defining moments. It taught campaigns to control visual narratives with unprecedented precision.”

Modern Parallels: Political Gaffes in the Digital Age

While the Quayle incident occurred in the pre-internet era, its legacy continues to shape how we view political mistakes today. The key difference is the speed and permanence of modern gaffes:

• Then (1988): News spread through evening broadcasts and next-day newspapers
• Now: Mistakes go viral within minutes across multiple platforms
• Then: Limited replay value beyond initial news cycle
• Now: Clips get remixed, memed, and resurface for years

Despite these differences, the fundamental dynamic remains the same: a single moment can come to define a politician's public image in ways that policy positions and substantive work cannot counterbalance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Dan Quayle actually spell potato wrong himself?

No, Dan Quayle was working from a pre-printed card provided by his staff that incorrectly showed 'potatoe' as the correct spelling. The child had spelled 'potato' correctly, but Quayle insisted the 'e' was necessary based on the erroneous cue card.

When did the Dan Quayle potato incident happen?

The incident occurred on June 15, 1988, during a campaign stop at Eisenhower Middle School in Trenton, New Jersey, while Quayle was running as George H.W. Bush's vice-presidential candidate.

Why is the potato spelling mistake so famous in politics?

The mistake became famous because it reinforced existing concerns about Quayle's readiness for high office. The visual of a presidential candidate confidently correcting a child's correct spelling created a powerful narrative that was replayed extensively in media and comedy shows, turning a minor error into a defining moment of his public image.

Did the potato incident affect the 1988 election results?

While impossible to isolate as a single factor, the incident contributed to ongoing questions about Quayle's qualifications that persisted throughout the campaign. Political analysts note it became part of a pattern of gaffes that made Quayle a target for comedians and critics, potentially influencing voter perceptions in a close election.

What happened to the student who spelled potato correctly?

William Figueroa, the 12-year-old student, correctly spelled 'potato' on his placard. After Quayle insisted it should be 'potatoe,' Figueroa politely explained that his teacher had taught them to spell it without the 'e.' Figueroa later said the experience was 'kind of cool' but that he preferred to move on with his life after the media attention subsided.