James Danforth Quayle, III, "Murphy Brown Speech" (19 May 1992)

In his "Murphy Brown Speech," Quayle assessed the 1992 Los Angeles riots and discussed the Bush administration's plans for addressing social and economic inequalities. His brief critique of a fictional television single‐mother, however, overshadowed his message and became the focus of intense criticism from the media. After the controversy died down, Quayle's assertions inspired a debate over the family, welfare policies, economic opportunity, and the role of government in social policy that continues today.