Ex-VP Quayle gives Palin advice

INDIANAPOLIS – Former Vice President Dan Quayle has a little advice for Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin: “Just be yourself.”

Quayle speaks from experience. Twenty years ago, an older, experienced Republican presidential hopeful, George H.W. Bush surprised many when he tapped a 41-year-old little-known Indiana senator as his running mate.

The former vice president said he spoke with Palin since Sen. John McCain chose her for the GOP ticket in late August.

“I basically said, ‘Look, just be yourself. You were selected by John McCain because of who you are and what you have done, and don’t let them take anything away from you. Just go out and be yourself,’” Quayle said.

Quayle campaigned Wednesday for his former aide Greg Zoeller, the Republican candidate for Indiana attorney general.

Recent national polls showed Sen. Barack Obama ahead of McCain. The race is especially tight in Indiana, which has not chosen a Democrat for president since 1964.
Quayle cautioned against counting McCain out of the race and predicted Indiana would remain a red state on Nov. 4.

“I don’t view this as a battleground state,” he said. “John McCain’s a fighter, and he’ll fight until the very end.”