Now just a cotton-picking minute here. You declare point and match, but it seems to be on the strength of a redefinition of the rules.

Admittedly, I had to traverse back over a year to find my original argument, which I had forgotten. Restated briefly (but fairly, I hope), it is this:

Fair or not, vice presidents tend to be the butt of some fairly scathing humor.

Here's how I tott up the recent score:

V.P.	Butt	Notabutt
Truman	X
Nixon	X
Johnson		X
Humphrey		X
Agnew	X
Ford	X
Rockefeller		X
Mondale		X
Bush	X
Quayle	X
______	__	__
Totals	6	4

Even I have to admit that this is hardly a convincing trend. On the other hand, I put several in the "Notabutt" column simply because I couldn't remember any evidence to the contrary.

Ford is the only "Butt" entry I wouldn't defend stoutly. His vice-presidential career was quite short; I accord him this honor hopefully, based on his treatment by the press after he became president. Remember his golf record? His trouble walking? Humorists loved the guy.

But since you're buying the beer, Stuart, I have to admit that you almost had me convinced for a while there.