George H. W. Bush broccoli comments

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".

[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.

[12] A few days later, Bush hosted a state dinner to honor Tadeusz Mazowiecki, the prime minister of Poland.

[12] 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".

[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 (equivalent to $17,314 in 2024).

[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.

[26] It led many Americans to write letters to Bush, insisting that he eat more broccoli due to its health benefits.

His declared love of broccoli is genuine, if also unpersuasive.Image of the letter from Cooper 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".