HateBush.org

As the 2000 presidential campaign began, a young computer programmer from Massachusetts named Zack Exley enjoyed 15 minutes of fame when he created a website called GWBush.com. The site, which Exley billed as a “parody,” featured a doctored photo of George W. Bush with what appeared to be cocaine on his upper lip and nose. It sold bumper stickers with sayings like “GWBush, Not a Crackhead Anymore!” and “GWBush, Bom with a Silver Spoon Up His Nose.” And it featured a cartoon of Bush dancing with a bottle in his hand as kegs of beer bounced around the screen and “Louie, Louie” played in the background.

Exley and his site attracted relatively little attention until Bush himself took notice and told reporters, with evident disgust, “There’s a lot of garbage in politics, and obviously [Exley] is a garbage man.” That, of course, sent the press looking for what had made the candidate so angry. Then the Bush campaign gave Exley even more publicity when it filed a complaint against GWBush.com with the Federal Election Commission, asking that the site be subject to campaign- finance laws. Once that was over (Bush lost), the news coverage faded, and GWBush.com disappeared from view.

About the Author

Byron York

Byron York is a former White House correspondent for National Review.

As the 2000 presidential campaign began, a young computer programmer from Massachusetts named Zack Exley enjoyed 15 minutes of fame when he created a website called GWBush.com. The site, which Exley billed as a “parody,” featured a doctored photo of George W. Bush with what appeared to be cocaine on his upper lip and nose. It sold bumper stickers with sayings like “GWBush, Not a Crackhead Anymore!” and “GWBush, Bom with a Silver Spoon Up His Nose.” And it featured a cartoon of Bush dancing with a bottle in his hand as kegs of beer bounced around the screen and “Louie, Louie” played in the background.

Exley and his site attracted relatively little attention until Bush himself took notice and told reporters, with evident disgust, “There’s a lot of garbage in politics, and obviously [Exley] is a garbage man.” That, of course, sent the press looking for what had made the candidate so angry. Then the Bush campaign gave Exley even more publicity when it filed a complaint against GWBush.com with the Federal Election Commission, asking that the site be subject to campaign- finance laws. Once that was over (Bush lost), the news coverage faded, and GWBush.com disappeared from view.