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One Year

Slow Burn - One Year: 1990 | 3. Bush vs. Broccoli

One Year

Slate Podcasts

Society & Culture, History, Documentary

4.41.2K Ratings

🗓️ 7 December 2023

⏱️ 40 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In March 1990, a story broke that shocked the nation: George H.W. Bush had banned broccoli from Air Force One. The frenzy that came next would change the fate of a vegetable—and maybe even alter the course of a presidency.


This episode was written by Olivia Briley and Josh Levin, One Year’s editorial director. One Year’s senior producer is Evan Chung.


This episode was produced by Olivia Briley and Kelly Jones. 


It was edited by Joel Meyer and Evan Chung.


Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. 


Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.


Join Slate Plus to get a special behind-the-scenes conversation at the end of our season about how we put together our 1990 stories. Slate Plus members also get to listen to all Slate podcasts without any ads.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

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0:00.0

This episode is brought to you by Delive a rule because anything goes this Christmas. Yes, even sprouts on a pizza or gravy on sushi.

0:10.0

The rules are, there are no rules. Have a Cantonese on Christmas Eve or a

0:15.2

Balty on Boxing Day and when you sew over the leftovers bring on the ramen

0:20.2

From big brands to local favorites this Christmas it's all on your doorstep with

0:25.0

deliver room. Geographical restrictions, decency, service and delivery fees apply.

0:30.8

Ken Walsh was one of the longest serving White House correspondence ever.

0:35.0

Starting in the 1980s, he covered seven different administrations for US News and World Report.

0:41.0

Now when he talks about his career, there's one thing everybody wants to know.

0:46.5

Which president was his favorite?

0:48.3

There's lots of different ways I answer that question.

0:51.2

The most interesting president to cover.

0:53.5

Bill Clinton, a fascinating presidency to cover, and Ronald Reagan was the most historically

0:58.6

important.

0:59.7

But in personal terms, it was really Bush. America today is a proud free nation, decent and civil, a place we cannot help but love.

1:12.0

George H.W. Bush succeeded Ronald Reagan in January 1989.

1:17.0

Ken interviewed the new Republican president one week after he moved into the White House.

1:23.0

Just me and him and one advisor in the Ohio office.

1:26.0

And I said, are you concerned that you're following this President who was so good on television and frankly you don't have a

1:35.0

reputation of being very good on television he said you know I've been six foot

1:39.1

three since I was 18 years old and people have always thought I was a little guy and so this is where the

1:45.6

humility and even an insecurity came out with him which made him very real that he

1:51.2

realized he could never be the communicator that Reagan, his predecessor was.

...

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