Vice President Dan Quayle bruised his image among many voters and launched a press field day when he attacked the popular CBS character, Murphy Brown – played by Candice Bergen – during a May 1992 campaign speech. Quayle argued that the character fostered lax family values by "mocking the importance of fathers, by bearing a child alone, and calling it just another lifestyle choice."

The statement drew an incredible amount of mocking from the news and entertainment media – even a full episode of Murphy Brown devoted to poking fun at the vice president was aired. In the end, this frenzy left the GOP's family values platform somewhat tainted and kept Quayle the anointed prince of gaffes.