Republicans dip freedom fries in "W Ketchup", not

[hunterkiller2001]

Republicans dip freedom fries in "W Ketchup", not Heinz

Fri Jul 9,11:54 AM ET

WASHINGTON, (AFP) - Americans allergic to the subtle Democratic flavor of Heinz ketchup can now plunge their "freedom fries" into a 100-percent guaranteed, patriotic alternative: "W Ketchup."

"You don't support Democrats. Why should your ketchup?" says the W Ketchup Internet site wketchup.com, which promises a totally US-made condiment, right down to the bottle.

Heinz ketchup is an institution on American dining tables.

But the taste has soured a little for Republicans because Heinz empire heiress Teresa Heinz-Kerry is married to John Kerry (news - web sites), the Democrat hoping to unseat George W. Bush -- also known simply as "W" -- on November 2.

W Ketchup insists its initial stands for Washington, as in first president George Washington, whose face adorns its bottle beneath the Stars and Stripes.

The new-comer makes no attempt to hide its leanings, even sporting a poetic homage to Republican icon Ronald Reagan , who died June 5 at 93, on its Internet site.

"G5s (Gulfstream jets) or GIs? A Tough Choice," W. Ketchup tells prospective customers.

"Choose Heinz and you're supporting Teresa and her husband's Gulfstream Jet, and liberal causes such as Kerry for President," it warns.

"When you choose W Ketchup, you also support the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to the children of our brave heroes who have fallen in battle."

Heinz has 57 varieties, but also 57 foreign factories, it claims.

"W Ketchup comes in one flavor: American."

"We are simply a group of friends who came up with the idea at a barbecue in upstate New York a few months ago. We are all investors," said W Ketchup chief operating officer Susie Oliver.

Thousands of bottles had been sold in the three and a half weeks of business, she said. Orders are taken in batches of four bottles for 12 dollars plus shipping.

Testimonials on the company's Internet site are glowing for the Republican-style ketchup.

"Thank you for giving us a delicious American alternative to the standard Heinz Ketchup. Henry Heinz may have been a great American, but I have absolutely no interest in supporting The Kerry's anti-American causes," wrote "S.S" of Akron, Ohio.

Heinz says it is non-partisan, stressing that all the Heinz family trusts together hold less than four percent of the stock. Neither Teresa Heinz, nor her husband, have any role in management, it stresses.

The ketchup war is only the latest political skirmish to be fought on the battlegound of American menus.

Many Americans, angered by France's refusal to back the war in Iraq, switched last year to calling their French fries "freedom fries."

Star Spangled Ice Cream was also launched last year as a conservative alternative to the produce of Ben and Gerry's, the ecology-leaning company whose founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield had supported Democrat Dennis Kucinich's unsuccessful campaign for the presidential nomination.

Among the flavors offered by Star Spangled Ice Cream: "I Hate The French VANILLA (Real American Vanilla, NOT French Vanilla)" and "Nutty Environmentalist (Rich Buttery Ice Cream with Roasted Pecans)."

Source

[Talon]

Utterly pathetic.

Some products do not have 'Made in America' plastered on them. Deal with it.

Edited July 11, 2004 by Talon S.

[babyforrest]

Are Americans seriously still calling french fries "Freedom Fries"? Get over it already.

[hunterkiller2001]

actually baby, a lot of places around here don't want to get into the political BS.. so they call them simply "fries"

I personally just ordered a case.. I consider them "Interactive target practice"

If the request gets high enough, i will video the carnage

[Mentalcase]

This is embarrassing. Our country has some serious issues when it comes to marketing. They even go the length to disgrace the country....

Then create this ketchup contraversy. Ridiculous.

[BurnSide]

That's the stupiest thing i ever heard.

And, sorry, but it brings down the countries respectability even more yet again.

What are people supposed to think about a country that is so self-absorbed it can't eat food with a different countries label on it.

Christ.

[Daughter of the Nine Moons]

*shakes her head. Let me ask you my American friends, would it be this crazy if it wasn't election year? That has to be the biggest driving force behind a marketing farce like this.

Dot9M

[BurnSide]

Many i underline, bold and make big that little special key word?

Farce.

[stillcrazy]

As an American, this is the second stupidest thing I have seen in this election. I cannot believe they are doing this.

I think I'll move to Canada or Mexico.

[Daughter of the Nine Moons]

As an American, this is the second stupidest thing I have seen in this election. I cannot believe they are doing this.

I think I'll move to Canada or Mexico.

Oh goodie! Come north stillcrazy! We'll keep you

[hunterkiller2001]

I'm actually thinking about jumping the border too..

to cold in canada tho

do the try to catch you if they find you jumping over the fence the wrong way?

[Daughter of the Nine Moons]

I'm actually thinking about jumping the border too..

to cold in canada tho

do the try to catch you if they find you jumping over the fence the wrong way?

lol Not if you're wearing a lumber jacket and have a roll of duct tape, eh?

[bathory]

i don't see what the big deal is? capitalism at its finest

hell and if its 100% US product, whats the problem?

[stillcrazy]

Bathory Just the stupidity of it. I mean really. Can't they think of anything better to come up with? Ketchup for the love of mike.

Of course according to Reagan it was a veggie.

[Talon]

capitalism at its finest

hell and if its 100% US product, whats the problem?

Ahhh good old capitalism. Poor quality products at the highest prices

[bathory]

Bathory Just the stupidity of it. I mean really. Can't they think of anything better to come up with? Ketchup for the love of mike.

Of course according to Reagan it was a veggie.

better to come up with? its offering an alternative to the 'ketchup' being sold by the Heinz company, which I assume supports the democrats. All i see is another group with certain political leanings offering an alternative for those who are anally retentive about where their money ends up going.

[Talon]

better to come up with? its offering an alternative to the 'ketchup' being sold by the Heinz company, which I assume supports the democrats.

No, its more likely its cause Heinz is a German company and the Republicans are still moaning about Germany not supporting the Iraq war. It'll be Russian stuff they'll be attacking next.... like Russian Tulet will become.... actually thats a rather negitive subject so with probably remain the same

Anyway the rest of the world is looking at this and thinking 'Different food stuffs for different political ideologies .... oh my god '

[Falco Rex]

It's right in the article. Teresa Heinz is married to John Kerry, so...It's really got nothing to do with Germany. And don't knock Capitalism, it can get out of hand at times with silly stuff like like this, I know. But let's face it; if you want to talk poor quality products, just look at almost any product made in China or Russia. Definitely not capitalist systems there..

[Mentalcase]

It's just frickin' ketchup.

[DC09]

That's hilarious!

I might buy some...

[BurnSide]

Next on the Agenda:

Canadian Bacon becomes Freedom Bacon!

English Muffin Becomes Bush Muffin! Wait....

[Babs]

cool...

[Fenris]

Its got nothing to do with ideology and everything to do with "Making a fast buck"

They haven't got a hope in hades chance of grabbing a big market share right from the off if they market JUST ANOTHER brand of Ketchup.... so they are trying to grab the consumers attention by tying it to an ideology....

Damn fine piece of marketing, but it does say something about the gullability of the target group!

[Talon]

It's right in the article. Teresa Heinz is married to John Kerry, so...It's really got nothing to do with Germany.

Its still a German name though

And don't knock Capitalism, it can get out of hand at times with silly stuff like like this, I know. But let's face it; if you want to talk poor quality products, just look at almost any product made in China or Russia. Definitely not capitalist systems there..

Russia is actualy captialist now the USSR fell apart over a decade ago. Anyway, read what I said "Classic Capitalism". The modern capitalist form of the consumer market which produces quality goods and attempts to out sell its rivales by under cutting their prices is an invention of the "Golden Age" of the 1960s. Before then capitalism was not the nice fluffy thing that allows you to by 57 'foreign' types of ketup from one company, and 'American' brand from another.