Molly Ivins quotes

[Fred Shapiro]

On Wed, 31 Jan 2007, Baker, John wrote:

>        My favorite is "he was born on third base and thought he hit a
> triple."  That's attributed to Ivins in reference to Bush (pere or
> fils), though I haven't tracked down whether it was actually Ivins who
> said it.  It looks like some people attribute it to Ann Richards.  I
> suspect the aphorism predated the application to Bush in any case.

The sensationally thorough Yale Book of Quotations has the following:

[Of George H. W. Bush's inherited wealth:]  He is a man who was born on
third base and thinks he hit a triple.
        Jim Hightower, Speech at Democratic National Convention, Atlanta,
Ga., 19 July 1988.  "Born on third base and thinks he hit a triple" was
used earlier (about another oil heir) in _Fortune_, 30 May 1983.

I suppose it is inaccurate to have referred to Bush pere as an "oil heir."

Fred Shapiro


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   Access and Lecturer in Legal Research     Yale University Press
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