I wanted to clarify the meaning of *

[fujiyama]

I wanted to make sure I got this right...the * denotes that Bush should be denoted with a * next to his name because he wasn't actually elected, in all future historical designations such as encylopedias, text books, etc, right?

I've been using it assuming that to be the case.

Also what does IIRC mean?

Thanks!

[Syrinx]

1. iirc

If I recall correctly, that means "if I recall correctly." :)

[yowzayowzayowza]

2. The * is from...

a Doonesbury cartoon.

iirc -> if i recall correctly

[Gman]

4. Actually

the * was in use here at DU not long after the 2000 election. I joined in early 2001 and it was in use then.

[yowzayowzayowza]

8. Yer prolly right.

I've been lurking since 4/1 and posting since 9/1. The * really took off after the * at the podium cartoon though.

[Zomby Woof]

3. Read this article from DU

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/06/29_asterisk.html

[fabius]

5. Now I get it.

Hey I have only been on DU since about mid summer '03.

Actually i kinda thought is looked a little like a puckered asshole.

A whistle-ass perhaps.

[Old and In the Way]

6. I think you've given it new meaning!

Bush* = asshole

[nickgutierrez]

9. True

It looks a lot like Kurt Vonnegut's representation of an asshole (Breakfast of Champions, I beleive).

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[elperromagico]

14. Purely out of curiosity,

how did "Klinton" fail? Conversely, how is Bush a great leader? And I'm not asking for the standard "Bush is a moral man" stuff; I want genuine Clinton policy failures vs. Bush policy successes.

I eagerly await your undoubtedly epic list.

On edit: I find your Pee-Wee Herman comparison to be most appropriate... Freudian slip, perhaps?

[elperromagico]

15. Aww, and he never answered my question!

I was really waiting for his informed response. :eyes:

[Piperay]

16. "INFORMED response", LOL

you would have NEVER gotten it from that one.

[zatoichi]

12. Just what I was thinking

Actually, I believe Kurt Vonnegut made this same connection in one of his books (can't remember which one...) Anyway, I always interpret it as "asshole" and it seems to fit like a glove.

[Robin Hood]

7. Check this out.

http://dug.seattleactivist.org/

[elperromagico]

10. I have always felt it's a bit like the old Roger Maris *

In baseball record books (until the Age of McGuire and Bonds), the record for most season home runs was sometimes written (at least according to legend) as:

Roger Maris (61)*
Babe Ruth (60)

The asterisk was included as a slight to Maris, because although he had made more home runs, he had also played in a longer season than Ruth had. The clear implication was that if Maris had played in a season that was the same length as Ruth's, he wouldn't have broken Ruth's record. In fact, Maris was not officially credited with breaking the home run record until 1991, 30 years after he hit 61 home runs.

The asterisk by Bush's name means something similar to me; namely, if the 2000 election had been fair, Bush would not be President right now (and would therefore not be in the history books).

Just my two cents worth.

[elperromagico]

11. And I might add

that I think all Presidents who were beaten in the popular vote ought to have asterisks by their names:

John Quincy Adams*
Rutherford B. Hayes*
Benjamin Harrison*
George W. Bush*

[Scott Lee]

17. For me the * represents an asshole

And I'm proud to admit I got that notion from the great Kurt Vonnegut and his wonderful book "Breakfast of Champions" in which he explicitly sets out to note that an asterisk not only looks like, but in his book signifies, an asshole.

Apropos for Bush.

[PaDUer]

18. Agree

Sometimes I post * for him, and sometimes I post a$$hole, moron, etc.

[Samantha]

19. That was a home-grown DU inspired suggestion

I suggested that we actually start using the asterisk after Bush*s name to never let the world forget he was selected by the Supreme Court to reside in the Oval Office, not elected by the people. My original thread referenced a remark I had read shortly after his selection that his name in the history books, as it would be included in any list of Presidents of the United States, would always be followed by an asterisk. The footnote to the asterisk would denote the fact that he was in fact considered illegitimate by some since his accession to the White House came about by such unorthodox means.

While I cannot take credit for literally conceiving this, I did suggest we actually start using the asterisk after I learned the first historian had written an account of election 2000 totally omitting the Florida debacle and the Supreme Court decision. I thought it was important in our everyday lives to remind the public constantly exactly how Bush* became our pResident. Not too many people responded to my original suggestion, about 26. One of those was Q. Those who did respond started using the asterisk religiously and gradually it caught on.

I have tried several times to find my thread in the Archives without success. I usually get a message that that function has been disabled whenever I have looked. The Roger Marris comparison was in the original responses. However, one poster who responded he thought it was a brilliant idea also used an *hole analogy.

I would like to suggest that if you have acquired the habit of including the asterisk after Bush*s name when you post here at DU, you consider doing it everywhere. I intend to do so. I think it would be an appropriate thing to do to try to acquire widespread usage of this since the 2004 election season is here and the political elite have declared the 2000 election will not be an issue in 2004. Widespread usage of the asterisk during the next 12 months and the appropriate explanation when asked why it is used will only serve to irritate the hell out of Karl Rove and we should use every means at hand to do just that. I hope you will join me in widening the use of the asterisk after the name of our selected pResident.