James Danforth 'Dan' Quayle is an American retired politician, lawyer, businessperson, and U.S. Army veteran who served as the 44th Vice President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 under President George H.W. Bush. Born on February 4, 1947, in Indianapolis, Indiana, he grew up in Arizona and Indiana, graduating from Huntington High School in 1965. He earned a BA in political science from DePauw University (1969) and a JD from Indiana University School of Law (1974). During the Vietnam War era, he served in the Indiana National Guard (1969-1975). Admitted to the Indiana bar in 1974, he worked as an associate publisher for his family's newspaper, the Huntington Herald-Press, before entering politics.

Quayle's political career began with his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976, representing Indiana's 4th congressional district (1977-1981). He then served as U.S. Senator from Indiana (1981-1989) as a conservative Republican focused on family values, defense, and economic issues. Selected as Bush's vice presidential running mate in 1988 to appeal to younger voters and conservatives, he assumed office at age 41, becoming one of the youngest vice presidents in history. His tenure was marked by support for key administration policies like the Gulf War and anti-drug initiatives, but was overshadowed by public gaffes, most notably correcting a student's spelling of 'potato' as 'potatoe' in 1992, which fueled media portrayals of him as intellectually unprepared.

After the 1992 election defeat, Quayle made an unsuccessful bid for the 1996 Republican presidential nomination before withdrawing. He transitioned to the private sector, serving as chairman of Cerberus Global Investments (1999-2009) and engaging in various business ventures. He has remained active in Republican circles as a speaker and advisor. Quayle married Marilyn Tucker in 1972; they have three children: Tucker, Ben, and Corinne. He is the grandson of newspaper magnate Eugene C. Pulliam, which influenced his conservative upbringing.