Knowledge (XXG)

Chicken George (politics)

Source 📝

647: 654: 1219: 127:, Bush's deputy campaign manager for political operations, wrote that Bush thought the chicken was hilarious. She relates that he would find the chicken in the crowd and tell it fish jokes that poked fun at Clinton's environmental record. Bush would also send his advance people into the crowds to determine where the chicken was so he would know where to find it. Though staffers grew concerned after 103:
wrote that "... there was a Michigan Chicken George, a Mississippi Chicken George, a Tennessee Chicken George. At first we recruited them, but real soon all the local people wanted to do it. Everybody wanted to be Chicken George. It was the way to get on TV. At
120:
was unable to get through security until he showed them a sign that said "Poultry Workers for Bush." After he was inside the campaign event, he turned the sign around to reveal that it said "Chicken George".
548: 801: 724: 574: 172:
Since the 1992 election, many campaigns have deployed people in chicken costumes, usually to heckle candidates who are refusing to participate in debates. Soon-to-be British Prime Minister
74:
term "chicken" that involved renting a chicken costume and following Bush around, calling him too cowardly to debate. The following day, Parker appeared as the chicken outside the
703: 698: 1254: 880: 597: 556: 157:? Which one are you talking about? Which one? Get out of here." The interaction resulted in dozens of television news images, print reports, and a front page Sunday 948: 840: 835: 796: 791: 784: 779: 612: 592: 529: 940: 682: 677: 500: 460: 272: 36: 250: 917: 189: 855: 828: 761: 746: 739: 734: 719: 850: 823: 756: 1249: 909: 662: 560: 377: 282: 1244: 622: 587: 177: 845: 806: 751: 729: 627: 532: 52: 153:
of the Midwest, Bush engaged the Chicken, saying "you talking about the draft-record chicken or you talking about the chicken in the
1000: 350: 138:. The campaign sought to draw attention to the notion that Bill Clinton had "ducked" the draft to avoid military service during the 340: 540: 367: 397: 521: 493: 24: 607: 1049: 980: 617: 197: 99:. Soon the Clinton campaign was ensuring that a chicken would appear at each Bush event. Clinton political strategist 96: 1259: 1222: 903: 816: 602: 486: 113: 653: 468: 58:
Clinton supporters Derrick Parker and Corbett Edge O'Meara came up with the idea for Chicken George at a bar in
811: 415: 582: 1127: 956: 925: 150: 134:
The Bush campaign reciprocated, releasing live ducks at a Clinton campaign event while Bush supporters used
146:. The campaign had wanted ducks and not chickens, but compromised by pairing the chickens with duck calls. 142:. A Bush campaign assistant secured 200 live chickens in preparation for a Clinton campaign event held in 109: 91: 1151: 1055: 299: 117: 75: 894: 632: 1121: 1017: 1009: 229: 164:
Eventually, Bush agreed to participate in the debates and the chicken thus stopped shadowing him.
1139: 1085: 143: 20: 1079: 988: 972: 964: 933: 871: 509: 373: 346: 278: 82:
speech. The Chicken did not speak, but was accompanied by O'Meara, who called himself Colonel
32: 89:
Their publicity efforts were eventually picked up by the national news media and included an
1157: 1091: 887: 55:. As late as September, the campaign was refusing to accept proposals from the Commission. 83: 67: 116:: Don't Be a Chicken. Debate." A Chicken George in Mississippi was arrested. Another in 86:
and acted as his spokesperson, "translating" the chicken sounds that Parker would make.
1204: 1145: 1097: 1043: 332: 217: 213: 212:
Politicians from the United States who have been shadowed by costumed chickens include
200: 154: 100: 1238: 1189: 1133: 1115: 193: 185: 1196: 1169: 1163: 1037: 336: 205: 124: 40: 28: 433: 131:
aired footage of Bush talking to the chicken, the President did not want to stop.
1175: 1109: 1103: 1073: 1029: 139: 1209: 173: 71: 251:"THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: Political Memo; Those Chicken Georges And What They Mean" 1067: 135: 79: 192:, also previously dressed up as a chicken to taunt another soon-to-be PM, 1061: 181: 105: 63: 59: 51:
In 1992, Bush refused to agree to the debate format determined by the
478: 398:"Election Campaigns' Chicken-Suited Men Get Opponents in a Flap" 482: 274:
Political Communication: Politics, Press, and Public in America
108:
meetings we'd get a Chicken George report." Chicken Georges in
128: 434:"Boris Johnson's new spin doctor was Daily Mirror chicken" 369:
Presidential Debates: Risky Business on the Campaign Trail
306:. Schenectady, NY: The Daily Gazette Co. pp. E2 95:
story interviewing the pair on a golf course in the
1028: 999: 870: 772: 712: 691: 670: 661: 571: 342:All's Fair: Love, War, and Running for President 327: 325: 323: 321: 949:The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty 494: 8: 277:. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. p. 382. 941:George Bush: The Life of a Lone Star Yankee 176:was mocked in a similar fashion during the 667: 501: 487: 479: 345:. New York: Touchstone. pp. 350–353. 918:What It Takes: The Way to the White House 372:. Columbia University Press. p. 21. 266: 264: 1255:1992 United States presidential election 396:Epstein, Reid J. (September 18, 2014). 241: 300:"Thank those chickens for the debates" 549:U.S. ambassador to the United Nations 391: 389: 298:Schanberg, Sydney (October 4, 1992). 249:Kelly, Michael (September 30, 1992). 66:on September 9, 1992. They devised a 35:over his refusal to participate in a 7: 623:George Bush Intercontinental Airport 461:"George Bush Absent From GOP Debate" 910:The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear 628:George Bush Center for Intelligence 533:Vice President of the United States 522:41st President of the United States 459:Fournier, Ron (October 29, 1999). 53:Commission on Presidential Debates 14: 1218: 1217: 652: 645: 541:Director of Central Intelligence 178:British general election of 1997 25:1992 U.S. presidential election 27:, where one or more people in 1: 1250:Political campaign techniques 881:Saturday Night Live parodies 817:"Read my lips: no new taxes" 812:"a thousand points of light" 271:Perloff, Richard M. (1998). 196:, as well as the soon-to-be 1245:Chickens in popular culture 981:41: A Portrait of My Father 1276: 904:Supermarket scanner moment 603:George H. W. Bush Monument 190:Director of Communications 78:, where Bush was giving a 39:with Democratic candidate 1184: 1166:(great-great-grandfather) 643: 613:Bush School of Government 516: 366:Schroeder, Alan (2016). 203:, while working for the 1128:Nancy Walker Bush Ellis 926:The Silence of the Hams 593:Death and state funeral 168:Other campaign chickens 802:running mate selection 110:Clarksville, Tennessee 92:ABC World News Tonight 1152:George Herbert Walker 1056:Pauline Robinson Bush 583:Walker's Point Estate 118:Shreveport, Louisiana 112:had signs that said " 76:Detroit Economic Club 895:Presidential Reunion 598:Presidential Library 1176:Sully (service dog) 1160:(great-grandfather) 1122:Dorothy Walker Bush 1010:A World Transformed 557:U.S. Representative 402:Wall Street Journal 230:Chicken Kiev speech 1140:William H. T. Bush 1086:Barbara Bush Coyne 471:on August 5, 2011. 304:The Sunday Gazette 255:The New York Times 144:Madison, Wisconsin 31:heckled President 1260:George H. W. Bush 1232: 1231: 1080:Dorothy Bush Koch 989:Destiny and Power 973:Family of Secrets 965:Bad for Democracy 934:Two Bad Neighbors 898:(2010 short film) 866: 865: 713:Vice Presidential 510:George H. W. Bush 379:978-0-231-54150-3 284:978-1-136-68846-1 151:whistle-stop tour 33:George H. W. Bush 1267: 1221: 1220: 1205:← Walter Mondale 1158:James Smith Bush 1092:Jenna Bush Hager 957:George H.W. Bush 888:The X-Presidents 668: 656: 649: 648: 635:George H.W. Bush 608:Medal of Freedom 564: 552: 544: 536: 525: 503: 496: 489: 480: 473: 472: 467:. Archived from 456: 450: 449: 447: 445: 430: 424: 423: 412: 406: 405: 393: 384: 383: 363: 357: 356: 329: 316: 315: 313: 311: 295: 289: 288: 268: 259: 258: 246: 29:chicken costumes 1275: 1274: 1270: 1269: 1268: 1266: 1265: 1264: 1235: 1234: 1233: 1228: 1190:← Ronald Reagan 1180: 1106:(granddaughter) 1094:(granddaughter) 1088:(granddaughter) 1024: 995: 862: 768: 708: 687: 657: 651: 650: 646: 641: 588:Post-presidency 573: 567: 555: 547: 539: 528: 520: 512: 507: 477: 476: 465:Washington Post 458: 457: 453: 443: 441: 432: 431: 427: 414: 413: 409: 395: 394: 387: 380: 365: 364: 360: 353: 333:Carville, James 331: 330: 319: 309: 307: 297: 296: 292: 285: 270: 269: 262: 248: 247: 243: 238: 226: 170: 97:Upper Peninsula 84:James Baker III 68:publicity stunt 49: 21:campaign tactic 12: 11: 5: 1273: 1271: 1263: 1262: 1257: 1252: 1247: 1237: 1236: 1230: 1229: 1227: 1226: 1213: 1212: 1207: 1201: 1200: 1197:Bill Clinton → 1193: 1185: 1182: 1181: 1179: 1178: 1173: 1167: 1161: 1155: 1149: 1146:Samuel P. Bush 1143: 1137: 1131: 1125: 1119: 1113: 1107: 1101: 1098:George P. Bush 1095: 1089: 1083: 1077: 1071: 1065: 1059: 1053: 1047: 1044:George W. Bush 1041: 1034: 1032: 1026: 1025: 1023: 1022: 1014: 1005: 1003: 997: 996: 994: 993: 985: 977: 969: 961: 953: 945: 937: 930: 922: 914: 906: 901: 900: 899: 891: 876: 874: 868: 867: 864: 863: 861: 860: 859: 858: 853: 848: 843: 833: 832: 831: 826: 821: 820: 819: 814: 804: 799: 789: 788: 787: 776: 774: 770: 769: 767: 766: 765: 764: 759: 754: 744: 743: 742: 737: 732: 727: 716: 714: 710: 709: 707: 706: 701: 695: 693: 689: 688: 686: 685: 680: 674: 672: 665: 659: 658: 644: 642: 640: 639: 630: 625: 620: 615: 610: 605: 600: 595: 590: 585: 579: 577: 569: 568: 566: 565: 553: 545: 537: 526: 517: 514: 513: 508: 506: 505: 498: 491: 483: 475: 474: 451: 440:. 30 July 2019 425: 422:. May 1, 1997. 407: 385: 378: 358: 351: 317: 290: 283: 260: 240: 239: 237: 234: 233: 232: 225: 222: 218:Jeanne Shaheen 214:George W. Bush 201:George Osborne 169: 166: 159:New York Times 155:Arkansas River 101:James Carville 48: 45: 17:Chicken George 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1272: 1261: 1258: 1256: 1253: 1251: 1248: 1246: 1243: 1242: 1240: 1225: 1224: 1215: 1214: 1211: 1208: 1206: 1203: 1202: 1199: 1198: 1194: 1192: 1191: 1187: 1186: 1183: 1177: 1174: 1171: 1168: 1165: 1162: 1159: 1156: 1154:(grandfather) 1153: 1150: 1148:(grandfather) 1147: 1144: 1141: 1138: 1135: 1134:Jonathan Bush 1132: 1129: 1126: 1123: 1120: 1117: 1116:Prescott Bush 1114: 1111: 1108: 1105: 1102: 1099: 1096: 1093: 1090: 1087: 1084: 1081: 1078: 1075: 1072: 1069: 1066: 1063: 1060: 1057: 1054: 1051: 1048: 1045: 1042: 1039: 1036: 1035: 1033: 1031: 1027: 1020: 1019: 1015: 1012: 1011: 1007: 1006: 1004: 1002: 998: 991: 990: 986: 983: 982: 978: 975: 974: 970: 967: 966: 962: 959: 958: 954: 951: 950: 946: 943: 942: 938: 935: 931: 928: 927: 923: 920: 919: 915: 912: 911: 907: 905: 902: 897: 896: 892: 890: 889: 885: 884: 883: 882: 878: 877: 875: 873: 869: 857: 854: 852: 849: 847: 844: 842: 839: 838: 837: 836:1992 campaign 834: 830: 827: 825: 822: 818: 815: 813: 810: 809: 808: 805: 803: 800: 798: 795: 794: 793: 792:1988 campaign 790: 786: 783: 782: 781: 780:1980 campaign 778: 777: 775: 771: 763: 760: 758: 755: 753: 750: 749: 748: 747:1984 campaign 745: 741: 738: 736: 733: 731: 728: 726: 723: 722: 721: 720:1980 campaign 718: 717: 715: 711: 705: 702: 700: 697: 696: 694: 690: 684: 681: 679: 676: 675: 673: 669: 666: 664: 660: 655: 638: 636: 631: 629: 626: 624: 621: 619: 616: 614: 611: 609: 606: 604: 601: 599: 596: 594: 591: 589: 586: 584: 581: 580: 578: 576: 570: 562: 558: 554: 550: 546: 542: 538: 534: 531: 527: 523: 519: 518: 515: 511: 504: 499: 497: 492: 490: 485: 484: 481: 470: 466: 462: 455: 452: 439: 435: 429: 426: 421: 417: 416:"Politics 97" 411: 408: 403: 399: 392: 390: 386: 381: 375: 371: 370: 362: 359: 354: 352:0-684-80133-7 348: 344: 343: 338: 337:Matalin, Mary 334: 328: 326: 324: 322: 318: 305: 301: 294: 291: 286: 280: 276: 275: 267: 265: 261: 256: 252: 245: 242: 235: 231: 228: 227: 223: 221: 219: 215: 210: 208: 207: 202: 199: 195: 194:David Cameron 191: 187: 186:Boris Johnson 183: 179: 175: 167: 165: 162: 160: 156: 152: 147: 145: 141: 137: 132: 130: 126: 122: 119: 115: 111: 107: 102: 98: 94: 93: 87: 85: 81: 77: 73: 70:invoking the 69: 65: 61: 56: 54: 46: 44: 42: 38: 34: 30: 26: 22: 18: 1216: 1210:Dan Quayle → 1195: 1188: 1172:(family dog) 1164:Obadiah Bush 1038:Barbara Bush 1018:All the Best 1016: 1008: 1001:Bibliography 987: 979: 971: 963: 955: 947: 939: 924: 916: 908: 893: 886: 879: 872:Public image 773:Presidential 634: 618:Reagan Award 469:the original 464: 454: 442:. Retrieved 437: 428: 419: 410: 401: 368: 361: 341: 310:December 12, 308:. Retrieved 303: 293: 273: 254: 244: 211: 206:Daily Mirror 204: 171: 163: 161:photograph. 158: 148: 133: 125:Mary Matalin 123: 114:Read My Beak 90: 88: 57: 50: 41:Bill Clinton 16: 15: 1110:Pierce Bush 1104:Lauren Bush 1074:Marvin Bush 992:(2015 book) 984:(2014 book) 671:U.S. Senate 563:(1967–1971) 551:(1971–1973) 543:(1976–1977) 535:(1981–1989) 524:(1989–1993) 140:Vietnam War 1239:Categories 1112:(grandson) 1100:(grandson) 1082:(daughter) 1058:(daughter) 1050:presidency 846:convention 807:convention 752:convention 740:transition 730:convention 692:U.S. House 444:9 February 236:References 198:Chancellor 188:'s former 174:Tony Blair 136:duck calls 72:pejorative 1142:(brother) 1136:(brother) 1068:Neil Bush 841:primaries 797:primaries 785:primaries 725:selection 663:Elections 149:During a 80:Labor Day 1223:Category 1130:(sister) 1124:(mother) 1118:(father) 1062:Jeb Bush 936:" (1996) 856:election 829:election 762:election 735:election 637:(CVN-77) 572:Life and 438:BBC News 339:(1995). 224:See also 182:Lee Cain 106:War Room 64:Michigan 851:debates 824:debates 60:Detroit 47:History 23:in the 1170:Millie 1040:(wife) 1030:Family 1021:(1999) 1013:(1998) 976:(2009) 968:(2008) 960:(2008) 952:(2004) 944:(1997) 929:(1994) 921:(1993) 913:(1991) 757:debate 575:legacy 376:  349:  281:  37:debate 19:was a 1076:(son) 1070:(son) 1064:(son) 1046:(son 704:1968 699:1966 683:1970 678:1964 633:USS 561:TX–7 559:for 530:43rd 446:2021 374:ISBN 347:ISBN 312:2010 279:ISBN 216:and 420:BBC 129:CNN 1241:: 463:. 436:. 418:. 400:. 388:^ 335:; 320:^ 302:. 263:^ 253:. 220:. 209:. 184:, 180:. 62:, 43:. 1052:) 932:" 502:e 495:t 488:v 448:. 404:. 382:. 355:. 314:. 287:. 257:.

Index

campaign tactic
1992 U.S. presidential election
chicken costumes
George H. W. Bush
debate
Bill Clinton
Commission on Presidential Debates
Detroit
Michigan
publicity stunt
pejorative
Detroit Economic Club
Labor Day
James Baker III
ABC World News Tonight
Upper Peninsula
James Carville
War Room
Clarksville, Tennessee
Read My Beak
Shreveport, Louisiana
Mary Matalin
CNN
duck calls
Vietnam War
Madison, Wisconsin
whistle-stop tour
Arkansas River
Tony Blair
British general election of 1997

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.