# 99 little-known things invented by politicians **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 16, 2008, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860 "2008-09-16T17:04:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/1 "2008-09-16T17:04:56Z")
So we all know by now that Al Gore invented the Internet sometime around 1990. Now it seems [John McCain has invented the Blackberry](http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0908/HoltzEakin_McCain_helped_create_BlackBerry.html)! Hooray! With that, I thought it would be interesting to share with each other the many technological wonders that have been invented by politicians over the years. And so the list begins: -Remote control vibrating panties: Paul Tsongis -[Pop Art Holiday toaster](http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102521711&c=): Fred Thompson -Cell phone bling stickers: the late Benazir Bhutto -All-in-one desktop printer/fax/scanner/copier: Mary Bono -HDTV: Phil Gramm -YouPorn: John Sununu -Talking Hallmark greeting cards: John Sununu -Electric knife: Alfonse D’Amato -Microwave turntable: Ed Muskie ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/2 "2008-09-16T17:10:15Z")
Salt - Orrin Hatch Zima - Diane Feinstein Those Mufflers that Make Japanese Cars sound like Chainsaws - Jesse Jackson Spaghetti-Oh’s - Howard Metzenbaum. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/3 "2008-09-16T17:21:29Z")
Crunk hip-hop: Joe Lieberman Corn holders: Paul Simon GPS technology: Hillary Clinton Those clicky pens with four different color inks: Mitch McConnell Edible underwear: Bernie Sanders ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/4 "2008-09-16T17:26:58Z")
The singing bass: Stephen Breyer Hands-free paper towel dispenser: Bob Dole ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/5 "2008-09-16T17:28:59Z")
The Automobile: Abraham Lincoln and Gerald Ford ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/6 "2008-09-16T17:35:08Z")
Flow-through tea bag: Adlai Stevenson ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/7 "2008-09-16T17:43:06Z")
Fruit Roll Ups - Carol Moseley Braun The Red Ryder BB Gun - Pat Buchanan ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/8 "2008-09-16T18:07:49Z")
Those guitars that are, like, double guitars: Dennis Kucinich ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/9 "2008-09-16T18:09:34Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > Flow-through tea bag: Adlai Stevenson Teabagging: Woodrow Wilson ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/10 "2008-09-16T18:23:38Z")
Be-Dazzlers: Teddy Roosevelt ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/11 "2008-09-16T18:43:29Z")
Pipe cleaners - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. Erotic Fanfic - Nelson Rockefeller Thermite - Walter Mondale ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/12 "2008-09-16T18:50:25Z")
[The hot dog toaster.](http://www.hammacher.com/publish/75341.asp?promo=50929) Invented by [former Senator Dean Barkley.](http://www.senatorbarkley.com/home.html) I would not be surprised if this one were actually true. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/13 "2008-09-16T21:34:16Z")
basketball - Abraham Lincoln ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/14 "2008-09-17T00:01:06Z")
A moment of seriousness here: **Abraham Lincoln** _did_ hold a patent, number 6469, granted May 22, 1849, for a device to lift boats over shoals. (Lincoln had at one time been co-captain of a riverboat, something that doesn’t make it into most short bios): [http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/education/patent.htm](http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/education/patent.htm) This makes Lincoln the only president to hold a patent. It’s rather surprising that Thomas Jefferson didn’t, since he was both an avid inventor and supporter of the patent system. But he reportedly wanted his inventions to be free.) ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/15 "2008-09-17T00:07:01Z")
PornoTube - Bill Clinton [Slap bracelets](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slap_bracelet) - Andrew Jackson Alka Seltzer - William Henry Harrison ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/16 "2008-09-17T00:10:19Z")
[Santorum](http://www.spreadingsantorum.com/) – Larry Craig Too easy? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/17 "2008-09-17T00:18:30Z")
[Rick Santorum](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santorum) - [Santorum](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santorum_(sexual_neologism)) ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/18 "2008-09-17T00:28:04Z")
> [@smartaleq](#): > > [santorum](http://www.spreadingsantorum.com/) – larry craig > > too easy? 😛 my eyes! My eyes! ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/19 "2008-09-17T00:29:22Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Crunk hip-hop: Joe Lieberman Quoted for Win. I love you, **Marley**. My Little Pony - Newt Gingrich Those giant inflatable Sumo costumes with the fans - Colin Powell And [this](http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2007/03/japanese_invention_12wtmk.jpg)is Mitt Romney’s crowning achievement. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860/20 "2008-09-17T00:34:59Z")
> [@CaerieD](#): > > PornoTube - Bill Clinton Hey, no fair slipping in a real one. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/99-little-known-things-invented-by-politicians/463860.md?page=2)