Part 4/6:
In the months following the announcement, the topic of broccoli became a running joke, not just in media outlets but also within the Bush administration itself. The president himself found humor in his aversion. As the 1992 New Hampshire primary approached, he used humor to deflect the public’s curiosity about a previous incident during an international banquet—where he famously vomited on the lap of Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa—attributed jokingly once again to broccoli.
Bush’s remarks soon became a staple in his speeches, appearing at the most unexpected venues—from community college events to Rotary Club dinners. At one point, he even claimed to lead a "national crusade" against broccoli, asserting that its supposed health benefits were overblown.