George H. W. Bush broccoli comments explained

During his tenure as the 41st president of the United States, George H. W. Bush frequently mentioned his distaste for broccoli, famously saying: "I do not like broccoli. And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid. And my mother made me eat it. Now I'm president of the United States. And I'm not gonna eat any more broccoli!"[1] Bush's views on broccoli were seen as out of touch with Americans, as broccoli was becoming more popular and was referred to as the "vegetable of the 80s".[2]

Hillary Clinton and Tipper Gore, wives of Democratic nominees for president and vice president Bill Clinton and Al Gore, were seen holding a sign which stated: "Let's put broccoli in the White House again".[3] After Bush left office, he occasionally mentioned his dislike of broccoli. Bush's son, George W. Bush, mentioned his father's dislike of broccoli in a eulogy at his father's funeral.[4]

Comments and analysis

George H. W. Bush served as the 41st president of the United States from 1989 to 1993.[5] During his presidency, he frequently mentioned his distaste for broccoli. The first mention was made in March 1990, when Bush joked that the workers in the Office of Personnel Management would get their merit pay "in broccoli".[6] Soon after, U.S. News & World Report reported a story stating that Bush had banned broccoli from Air Force One.[7] On March 22,[8] when asked if he had "lost the broccoli vote", Bush said:

I do not like broccoli. And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I'm President of the United States, and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli! ... For the broccoli vote out there, Barbara [Bush's wife] loves broccoli. She's tried to make me eat it. She eats it all the time herself. So, she can go out and meet the caravan of broccoli that's coming in [from Washington].[9] [10]

In response, the broccoli-growers of California, who produced over 90 percent of America's broccoli,[11] pledged to send several trucks of the vegetable to the White House. George Dunlop, the president of the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, gave First Lady Barbara Bush a bouquet of broccoli and an additional 10-tons of the vegetable in trucks.[12] A few days later, Bush hosted a state dinner to honor Tadeusz Mazowiecki, the prime minister of Poland. Journalists noted that there was no broccoli on the menu as the tons of broccoli given to the first family had been donated to the Capital Area Food Bank.[13] Bush contrasted Poland's protest against totalitarianism with his "rebellion against broccoli".[14] Following Bush's comments, broccoli saw an increase in popularity, with its sale rising by 10 percent. A supermarket sales director told the Los Angeles Times that "Broccoli has never enjoyed so much publicity".

Broccoli was becoming popular in the United States and had been referred by Gary Lucier of the Department of Agriculture as the "vegetable of the 80s".[15] Consumption of broccoli had doubled in that decade, increasing from an annual average of 3lb per person in 1980 to 6.8lb per person in 1988.[16] Because of Bush's comments, broccoli was frequently referred to as a "political vegetable".[17] [18]

When asked about the effect of Bush's comments on children, Barbara Bush replied that: "He [Bush] ate broccoli until he was 60. Tell them [children] to eat it until they are 60."[19] Bush's anti-broccoli comments were later criticized,[20] and opened up a nationwide debate on Bush's eating habits, in particular his fondness for unhealthy foods such as beef jerky.[21] [22] Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, referred to Bush's statements as "a stupid joke that undermines a serious effort to promote better nutrition ...".[23] Campbell Soup Company and Woman's Day magazine organized a recipe contest titled: "How to Get President Bush to Eat Broccoli"; the winner received $7,500 .[24] [25]

Eric Ostermeier, a researcher at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, recorded seventy instances where Bush had mentioned his hatred of the vegetable during his presidency. In May 1991, Bush's thyroid condition was diagnosed to be Graves' disease.[26] It led many Americans to write letters to Bush, insisting that he eat more broccoli due to its health benefits.[27] Bush's comments on broccoli, along with an incident in which he vomited on the prime minister of Japan, Kiichi Miyazawa, were seen as examples of Bush's tendency for political gaffes.[28]

Aftermath

Hillary Clinton and Tipper Gore, wives of Democratic nominees for president and vice president Bill Clinton and Al Gore, were seen holding a sign which stated: "Let's put broccoli in the White House again".[29] In 2001, Bush's son and the 43rd president George W. Bush received substantial media attention after he gave a thumbs-down to broccoli on a state visit to Mexico; Mexico's president Vicente Fox was a keen broccoli-grower.[30] [31]

At an anti-obesity event for children in 2013, Barack Obama, the 44th president, announced that his favorite food was broccoli.[32] These remarks were contrasted with those of Bush.[33]

After leaving the office, Bush occasionally mentioned his dislike of broccoli.[34] [35] [36] George W. Bush mentioned his father's dislike of broccoli in a eulogy at his 2018 funeral.[37]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: March 25, 1990. George Bush's broccoli rebellion. Chicago Tribune. .
  2. News: Duston. Diane. March 24, 1990. Bush out of step on broccoli. The Gettysburg Times. live. December 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20201009040201/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X0MyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YeYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6832,2487815. October 9, 2020. Google News.
  3. News: Bhat. Devika. July 11, 2013. Obama Puts Broccoli Before Burgers In New Greens Policy. The Times. limited. December 7, 2021. October 18, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201018040845/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/obama-puts-broccoli-before-burgers-in-new-greens-policy-923tk5bg2gc. live.
  4. Web site: 2018-12-05 . Read George W. Bush's full eulogy for his father . 2024-03-23 . NBC News . en.
  5. News: Dionne Jr.. E. J.. November 9, 1988. The 1988 Elections. The New York Times. limited. December 7, 2021. September 5, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210905193201/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/09/us/1988-elections-bush-elected-6-5-margin-with-solid-gop-base-south-democrats-hold.html. live.
  6. Web site: Ostermeier. Eric. July 9, 2013. George H.W. Bush: Hater of Broccoli. live. December 7, 2021. Smart Politics. October 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201017044646/https://smartpolitics.lib.umn.edu/2013/07/09/george-hw-bush-hater-of-brocco/.
  7. News: Dowd. Maureen. March 23, 1990. 'I'm President,' So No More Broccoli!. The New York Times. limited. December 7, 2021. November 8, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201108000332/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/03/23/us/i-m-president-so-no-more-broccoli.html. live.
  8. News: March 27, 1990. It Was Man vs. Vegetable. Lincoln Journal Star. December 22, 2021. Newspapers.com. December 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222182033/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90982589/it-was-man-vs-vegetable/. live.
  9. News: March 22, 1990. Bush's Broccoli Hatred Flowers Into Presidential Proclamation. Los Angeles Times. subscription. December 7, 2021. . December 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211207184431/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-03-22-mn-1244-story.html. live.
  10. Book: McGrath. Jim. Heartbeat: George Bush in His Own Words. 2002. Charles Scribner's Sons. 978-0-7432-2479-6. 77–82. December 7, 2021. registration. Open Library.
  11. News: Lundin. Diana E.. March 28, 1990. Bush's Broccoli Bashing Steams Vegetable Producers. Great Falls Tribune. December 27, 2021. Newspapers.com. December 27, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211227131340/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91229950/bushs-broccoli-bashing-steams/. live.
  12. News: Lauter. David. March 27, 1990. Broccoli Stalks Bush on White House Lawn : Veggies: First Lady accepts California gift, but most of it goes to charity. Flap gives pundits food for thought. Los Angeles Times. live. December 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20201111205144/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-03-27-mn-263-story.html. November 11, 2020.
  13. News: Carman. Tim. December 5, 2018. As President, George H. W. Bush Never Wavered From His Hard Line On Broccoli. The Washington Post. live. subscription. December 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20190412235011/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2018/12/05/as-president-george-h-w-bush-never-wavered-from-his-hard-line-on-broccoli/. April 12, 2019.
  14. News: Fesperman. Dan. March 23, 1990. When It Comes To Eating Broccoli, President Bush Just says, 'No'. Press & Sun-Bulletin. December 22, 2021. Newspapers.com. December 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222182052/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90982485/when-it-comes-to-eating-broccoli/. live.
  15. News: March 26, 2020. The U.S. President Who Hated 'The Vegetable Of The '80s'. CBS News. live. December 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210331082838/https://www.cbc.ca/archives/the-u-s-president-who-hated-the-vegetable-of-the-80s-1.5491028. March 31, 2021.
  16. News: March 24, 1990. Bush Hates Broccoli, But Others Love It. St. Cloud Times. December 27, 2021. Newspapers.com. December 27, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211227131301/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91228580/bush-hates-broccoli-but-others-love-it/. live.
  17. News: Neporent. Liz. July 10, 2013. Obama's Favorite Food Quip Rekindles Broccoli Debate. ABC News. live. December 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20201017090101/https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/07/10/obamas-favorite-food-quip-rekindles-broccoli-debate. October 17, 2020.
  18. News: Newman. Dodi. Nelton. Sharon. April 20, 1994. On the Broccoli Bandwagon. The Washington Post. December 29, 2021.
  19. News: March 23, 1990. Bush: 'No More Broccoli'. Standard-Speaker. December 22, 2021. Newspapers.com. December 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222182034/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90982644/bush-no-more-broccoli/. live.
  20. News: MacVean. Mary. October 29, 1991. Not Everyone Laughs At Broccoli Jokes. Longview Daily News. live. December 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222182034/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90981841/not-everyone-laughs-at-broccoli-jokes/. December 22, 2021. Newspapers.com.
  21. Book: Smith. Curt. George H. W. Bush: Character At The Core. 2014. University of Nebraska Press. 978-1-61234-685-4. 148. December 7, 2021. registration. Open Library.
  22. Book: Rubenstein. Diane. This is Not a President: Sense, Nonsense, and The American Political Imaginary. New York University Press. 2008. 978-0-8147-7602-5. 83. December 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210803121839/https://books.google.com/books?id=CPzCha2t3csC&pg=PA83. August 3, 2021. live. Google Books.
  23. News: MacVean. Mary. October 29, 1991. Not Everyone Laughs At Broccoli Jokes. Longview Daily News. December 22, 2021. Newspapers.com. December 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222182034/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90981841/not-everyone-laughs-at-broccoli-jokes/. live.
  24. News: Little. Janye. October 29, 1991. Recipe Aims To Get Bush To Eat Broccoli. Longview Daily News. live. December 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222182054/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90982433/recipe-aims-to-get-bush-to-eat-broccoli/. December 22, 2021. Newspapers.com.
  25. News: August 28, 1991. Try It, You'll Like It. United Press International. live. December 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211222182035/https://www.upi.com/amp/Archives/1991/08/28/Try-it-Youll-like-it/4375683352000/. December 22, 2021.
  26. News: Okie. Susan. May 10, 1991. Bush's Thyroid Condition Diagnosed As Graves' Disease. The Washington Post. live. December 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20190812154933/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1991/05/10/bushs-thyroid-condition-diagnosed-as-graves-disease/d3c91174-dec2-4f01-a191-ba3e81e48e69/. August 12, 2019.
  27. Book: Levy. Peter B.. Encyclopedia of the ReaganBush Years. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1996. 978-0-313-29018-3. 53. December 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210803121839/https://books.google.com/books?id=7veohk0fkLYC&pg=PA53. August 3, 2021. live. Google Books.
  28. Book: Kaid. Lynda L.. Encyclopedia of Political Communication. Holtz-Bacha. Christina. 2008. SAGE Publications. 978-1-4129-1799-5. 114. December 7, 2021. Google Books. November 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211122133408/https://books.google.com/books?id=-woKG0HTstwC&pg=PT114. live.
  29. News: Reinsberg. Hillary. July 9, 2013. Hillary Clinton Wanted Broccoli In The White House Back In 1992. BuzzFeed News. December 7, 2021. November 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211125001059/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/hillaryreinsberg/hillary-clinton-wanted-broccoli-in-the-white-house-back-in-1. live.
  30. February 20, 2001. Haunted By Broccoli. Wired. December 7, 2021. April 12, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210412224218/https://www.wired.com/2001/02/haunted-by-broccoli/. live.
  31. News: Walker. Tim. July 10, 2013. How Broccoli became a Political Hot Potato: Provocative Remarks By President Obama About His Favourite Vegetable Have Reignited a Bitter Ideological Debate. The Independent. registration. December 7, 2021.
  32. News: Kliff. Sarah. July 9, 2013. Barack Obama Loves Broccoli. So Does America!. The Washington Post. live. subscription. December 7, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211207184503/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/07/09/barack-obama-loves-broccoli-so-does-america/. December 7, 2021.
  33. News: July 9, 2013. Obama Claims Broccoli Is His Favorite Food. Reuters. December 7, 2021.
  34. News: Diaz. Daniella. June 25, 2016. George H. W. Bush Still Hates Broccoli. CNN. December 7, 2021. November 8, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201108090403/https://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/25/politics/george-h-w-bush-broccoli-twitter/index.html. live.
  35. Walsh. Kenneth T.. June 27, 2016. Bush 41 Still Battling Broccoli. U.S. News & World Report. https://web.archive.org/web/20190411035628/https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-06-27/bush-41-still-battling-broccoli. December 7, 2021. 2019-04-11.
  36. News: Stump. Scott. June 27, 2016. George H. W. Bush Politely Shoots Down 5-Year-Old's Case For Him To Eat Broccoli. Today. NBC News. December 8, 2021. March 1, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210301234501/https://www.today.com/food/george-h-w-bush-politely-shoots-down-5-year-old-t100296. live.
  37. News: Smith. David. December 6, 2018. Washington mourns George H. W. Bush As Trump Gives Cold Shoulder To Clintons. The Guardian. December 7, 2021. October 12, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201012230044/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/dec/05/george-hw-bush-funeral-trump-clintons-obamas. live.

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