Bush Riles U.S. Asparagus Growers

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Source: WSJ

His father caused a fuss by turning up his nose at broccoli. Now, George W. Bush's affection for German asparagus has American growers spearheading a bid for the presidential taste buds.

It started with a visit to Germany last month, when Mr. Bush raved about the local asparagus after a dinner with Chancellor Angela Merkel. "The German asparagus are fabulous," he declared to foreign reporters.

Late spring in Germany is marked by the spargelzeit, or asparagus time, when a thick, white variety of the vegetable appears on market stands and restaurant menus, stoking a national obsession. But to some American asparagus growers and their advocates, Mr. Bush's enthusiasm seems misplaced.

"Anyone who enjoys asparagus is missing out if they haven't tried the asparagus we grow in Washington," said Rep. Doc Hastings, a Republican. To make sure the president wasn't missing out, he and Democratic Sen. Patty Murray shipped 10 pounds of domestic asparagus to the White House.

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Mr. Bush got the message about U.S. asparagus. "I know it is some of the best in the world, and I appreciate your thinking of me," he wrote Sen. Murray in a July 1 note.

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