
Issue No 75		27 October 2000

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

Satire

Bush campaign an in-joke, admit advisors

By The Chaser

TEXAS, Thursday: Following Bush's disastrous performance in the first Presidential debate it has been revealed that his bid for president is actually the result of a in-joke about how stupid the American people are.


	Bush - A Washington Outsider?

Greg Payne and Brian Ramsay approached George W. Bush and encouraged him to run for President on the basis that it would be "pretty f**king funny" if anyone actually believed he was serious.

Payne and Ramsay said they told George Bush -who they knew from College - to promote himself as a "Washington outsider" during the primary elections earlier in the year, even though his father was a former President. They were surprised when he agreed to do it, but even more amazed when voters responded positively.

Payne said that the initial joke worked so well that they decided to press ahead with an entire campaign based around saying the exact opposite of the truth. Very soon the whole thing had gotten out of control.

"That's when we told George Bush to highlight the 'character issue', we thought that would be too ironic even for Americans." Instead, the former coke-snorting playboy casanova has gone from strength to strength arguing that he can stem America's moral decline.

Indeed, Ramsay explains, the double irony is that Bush is winning the character issue against a man as boringly straight as Al Gore. Ramsay explains: "It's also been fun working out Bush's policy on drugs. As we all know, George speaks from a position of considerable knowledge of that subject." They break into laughter. "We've always wanted him to say 'I did not inhale' or something. I can't wait to see people's reaction."

One of the highlights for the two pranksters have included Bush's pledge to crack down on campaign contributions while at the same time being the first candidate to reject Federal funding due to record levels of corporate contributions.

"One of my favourites was telling George to project the image that he is his own man - not driven by polls and focus groups. At first he didn't like that suggestion, but the irony is he ended up running that line because he couldn't think of anything better to do himself."

"And you've got to admit that the entire idea that Republicans care about issues like social security, pensions and health care is very, very funny. After a while we got so cocky that we decided to rub the irony in the faces of the public. That's when we came up with the slogan 'Compassionate Conservative'."

Payne and Ramsay also revealed what led them to start off the joke. "We got the idea from the movie Trading Places. We thought it would be funny to put someone wildly inappropriate into a position of considerable responsibility and power and see how they reacted. It's amazing how life imitates art. George Bush truly is the Eddie Murphy of American politics."

Ramsay says that he's never done anything like this before, but Payne says he ran Reagan for President in 1980 after a bet with his room mate. "I won $10 for creating the Reagan years. That was hilarious." Payne also admits to losing a similar bet in 1988 when he ran Dukakis as a joke. "Although you have to admit - Dukakis really was a joke!"

The ultimate irony, however, is that Payne and Ramsay have convinced Bush that education should be the centrepiece of his campaign. In a campaign that relies on the complete stupidity, gullibility and lack of education of voters, it was risky, but it paid off. "After all - who better demonstrates America's desperate need for better education than Bush himself?"

  Go to the Chaser

  View entire issue - print all of the articles!

  Issue 75 contents

Interview: Civilized Capital
The FNV's Harrie Lindelauff explains to Peter Lewis how a friendly government and moderate employers make for a different sort of workplace in Holland.

Politics: Where Too Much Politics Is Barely Enough
With daily newspapers providing polling and analysis, television, cable, radio and Internet providing 24 hour coverage over a year long campaign -- there's more than enough politics for even the most voracious American political junkie reports Michael Gadiel.

International: US Cleaners on Hunger Strike
A number of US cleaners have this week gone on a hunger strike to back a union campaign for higher wages.

Economics: The Pass The Risk Trick
Derivatives, often seen as the currency of casino capitalism, are the fastest growing, largest and potentially most volatile aspect of capitalist economies. Economist Dick Brian sees behind this image an even deeper danger.

Health: Depressing Workplaces
New technologies and the impact of globalisation have sparked more stress and bouts of depression for workers, while causing a growing burden for social security systems, a new ILO report says.

Unions: Costello's Con
The low paid are bearing the brunt of the GST with inflation at a 10 year high argues the ACTU's Greg Combet.

Satire: Bush campaign an in-joke, admit advisors
TEXAS, Thursday: Following Bush's disastrous performance in the first Presidential debate it has been revealed that his bid for president is actually the result of a in-joke about how stupid the American people are.

» ACTU Calls For Compo For Costello's Inflation Spike

» Despair At Our ABC

» Outlaw Banks Strike Again

» Church Leader Confesses: We're Not Always Good Employers

» Building Workers Win $150 A Week Pay Rise

» MUA Prosecutes Patrick

» WA Secrecy Laws Gag Union Members

» LHMU Seek $1 An Hour Rise

» Picket Protects Broadway Squats

» APHEDA Appeal For Palestinian Medical Relief

» World Bank, IMF To Consult Unions

» Festering Joy

» Heath Our Hero Wins Two Gold