Ear Bush

Well, here’s another tidbit about presidents visiting Oregon, this one about George H. W. Bush who, as president from 1989 to 1993, visited Oregon four times, in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993.

“You missed one of the future presidents to visit Oregon,” Scott Ames chastised the Ear. “George H. W. Bush was in Eugene on May 14, 1980.

“I was a student at the University of Oregon at the time. Bush was running for the Republican presidential nomination against Ronald Reagan and others. Bush’s campaign offered U of O students a free T-shirt that bore the words ‘I Jogged With George Bush.’ I actually did run close to him and his Secret Service detail for a short distance, but Mr. Bush was a good athlete, and much faster than me.

“But I got the shirt, and threw it out recently. It was in tatters, but I regret not photographing it. I recall the shirts made a minor stir in the media because the Bush campaign was accused of giving away something of value in exchange for votes.”

“I don’t think his campaign was fined or sanctioned as a result,” Scott recalled, “but the event was mentioned in Time magazine, or Sports Illustrated or some other prominent periodical of the period.”