I know that the use of an asterisk for Bush originated with Doonesbury...

[Matsubara]

...but is it meant to convey his insignificance, or is it used because the asterisk so resembles a puckering anus?


Enquiring minds want to know.

[bryant69]

1. I think it refers to

the fact taht in the history books he will have an asterisk next to his name denoting he wasn't really elected President?

I could be wrong.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[LearnedHand]

5. Nope. The asterisk originated before Dumbya was selected

Doonesbury signified Bush pere with a cowboy hat and a feather, and always signified Bush junior with an asterish. Lighter than lightweight.

[ClassWarfare2008]

20. The feather was Quayle!

Satanist and potato-e head.

[Edweird]

9. That's what I understand as well. Kinda like Barry Bonds 'cos of the roids.

[BlooInBloo]

2. I thought it indicated the lack of validity of his first term.

[eppur_se_muova]

3. "He won the election, but there will always be an asterisk beside his name."

(because he won in a stacked court, not in a fair election)

[MuseRider]

4. LOL

I don't know for sure but I always thought it was because * will go down as the only president who was not elected but appointed and will always have that * by his name. I like your last idea though, it works for me.

[IDemo]

6. Yes.

[OwnedByFerrets]

7. I do it because

I cant even stand to mouth the MF's name in my brain much less out loud.

[NRaleighLiberal]

8. Analagous to the asterisk used for questionable sports records. nt

[blogslut]

10. I prefer a strike-through

like this:

Bush

Makes me think he never existed. Silly. Unrealistic, but it gets me by.

[Wiley50]

14. I don't know how to do that

Please teach me how

[Canuckistanian]

15. Strikethrough uses "s" like this - [s]Text[/s]

Just like you use "b" for bold or "i" for italics.

Text

[Wiley50]

16. [s]Thanks[/s] What did I do wrong?

[Canuckistanian]

17. It only works in the post body, not the title n/t

[LearnedHand]

11. From WikiPedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doonesbury

"More recently, personal symbols reflecting some aspect of their character are used. For example, members of the Bush family have been depicted as invisible. During his term as Vice President George H.W. Bush was first depicted as completely invisible, his words emanating from a little “spark” in the air. This was originally a reference to the man’s perceived low profile and his denials of knowledge of the Iran-Contra Affair. (In one strip, published 20 March 1988, the vice president almost materialized, but only made it to an outline before reverting to invisibility.) President George W. Bush was later symbolized by a Stetson hat atop a giant asterisk (a la Roger Maris), because he was Governor of Texas prior to his presidency (Trudeau accused him of being “all hat and no cattle”) and also due to the controversy surrounding the 2000 presidential elections. Later, President Bush’s symbol was changed to a Roman military helmet (again, atop an asterisk) representing imperialism. Towards the end of his first term, the helmet became battered, with the gilt work starting to come off and with clumps of bristles missing from the top. (By now, the helmet has been dented almost beyond recognition.) On 2 September, 2006, he fantasized about himself wearing a crown."

[RamboLiberal]

12. Don't know if it was the earliest use but first use of * I saw

was right here at DU by various posters because of him being selected not elected. Like Maris had an * because he set the homerun record at the time playing more games in a season than Babe Ruth.

[Dogmudgeon]

13. Barry Bonds. Clement the Anti-Pope. George Bush.

*
*
*

--p!

[goodgd_yall]

18. Means, he who we don't even want to name?

Yes, kind of like making him insignificant, so much so that he has no name.

[lligrd]

19. I'm Going With The Puckering Anus

and I will be using it a lot more often now. Thanks for the laugh.

[Greyhound]

21. A truly versatile symbol of our nation's first unelected pResident who is,

in fact, a puckered asshole.

[Hekate]

22. A footnote will forever follow W's name: he was selected.But I've always used it the other way...

...and have said so here. It looks like what he is: an *hole. He didn't go to Vietnam because he didn't want his little asterisk (ass-to-risk). And so on.


Hekate

[WilliamPitt]

23. Think Maris.

Had an asterisk by his name in the record books after he broke Ruth's HR record, basically saying the new record wasn't legit.

Bush got an asterisk after Florida 2000. Not legit.