# Bush's Back Bulge: Tinfoil hat, or shenanigans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 8, 2004, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184 "2004-10-08T12:45:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/21 "2004-10-08T15:08:27Z")
> [@](#): > > The next rather obvious comments is: if he was wearing a wire, it sure didn’t help him. Mr. Bush has not impressed me with his ability to walk and chew gum at the same time. Imagine yourself up on the stage with three people (Kerry, Lehrer & who ever was in his aleged earpiece) talking at you, all the while having to deal with your head’s own personal voices. I would fully expect a bug in his ear to be a source of major confusion for him, no matter how much misinformation and solid gold one-liners he was hearing out of it. ---
**Author:** ![NotMrKnowItAll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6bbea6/32.png) [@NotMrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotMrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/22 "2004-10-08T15:09:05Z")
Ok, Ok, It was me who speculated about the body armor. It had to be something, right? At first I thought it was a corset, but dismissed that as silly. However, upon further reflection, it could be a corset. His facial expression throughout the debate could be because his corset was too tight and maybe pinching him. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/23 "2004-10-08T15:11:16Z")
**neuroman** , it isn’t a “rumor”, it’s a _photo_, visible at [electoral-vote.com](http://electoral-vote.com) and [salon.com](http://salon.com) among other places - [here’s one](http://www.electoral-vote.com/images/bulge.jpg). There \*is \* something there. All I can see is a cylindrical object between his shoulders - the line up to his neck looks like the edge of his scapula to me, nothing more. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/24 "2004-10-08T15:17:52Z")
Is it possible he might have some kind of minor back injury that would require him to wear some kind of back brace? Could he be wearing a gentleman’s girdle to hold in his gut and make him look taller? Might it have been the harness connected to the wires that were meant to fly him in from the roof to the lectern, Garth Brooks stylee? Or it’s the edge of his exoskeletal carapace showing. Or could he actually be Roboprez? ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/25 "2004-10-08T15:19:26Z")
What about John Kerry’s “object” that he is [said to have taken](http://www.drudgereport.com/dnc57.htm) out during the debate? Any theories? ---
**Author:** ![Guy\_Incognito\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@Guy\_Incognito\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guy_Incognito_1)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/26 "2004-10-08T15:20:07Z")
> [@](#): > > …maybe it could be an emergency wire, through which they’d tell the president if a national security emergency occurred while he was onstage, so that he wouldn’t be stuck debating when he should be off scrambling jets or something. Why bother even telling the president through the wire? In the event of a national security emergency, just use the wire to yank the president off the stage at high speed. It could have been used in the event of a debate emergency too: Moderator: Mr. President, you just said that our strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan has been, from the beginning, to use American soldiers to train local Iraqi and Afghani fighters to win their own wars and keep their own peace. My question is: Isn’t that basically part of what eventually cost us 50,000 guys in Vietnam? How’s the South Vietnamese Army coming along? PresBush: Um, well, er… our resolve is strong, and, uh, our strength is in our resolve… uh, HEY, WHAT THE… WHERE THE HELL… KARL, HELP! YAHHHHHHHH! ---
**Author:** ![NotMrKnowItAll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6bbea6/32.png) [@NotMrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotMrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/27 "2004-10-08T15:20:26Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Or it’s the edge of his exoskeletal carapace showing. He’s always reminded me of a pentatomid. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/28 "2004-10-08T15:22:19Z")
> [@athelas](#): > > What about John Kerry’s “object” that he is [said to have taken](http://www.drudgereport.com/dnc57.htm) out during the debate? Any theories? :rolleyes: A pen. A piece of blank paper. A kleenex. All three theories adequately account for the evidence. I’ve answered your hijack: let’s hear your theories on this. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/29 "2004-10-08T15:23:02Z")
Perhaps they forgot to remove the anti-theft device from his new suit? Other than that, I’ll go for the alien attached to his back theory … or it’s Dick Cheney. Oops, same difference. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/30 "2004-10-08T15:24:57Z")
> [@athelas](#): > > What about John Kerry’s “object” that he is [said to have taken](http://www.drudgereport.com/dnc57.htm) out during the debate? Any theories? The answer is obvious: it was an electronic jamming device. That’s why Bush’s radio went for naught. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/31 "2004-10-08T15:26:53Z")
Not the memory eraser thing from “Men in Black”? Same size, same shape. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/32 "2004-10-08T15:29:22Z")
> [@Guy\_Incognito](#): > > Why bother even telling the president through the wire? In the event of a national security emergency, just use the wire to yank the president off the stage at high speed. Just as soon as he finishes reading the goat story. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/33 "2004-10-08T15:51:46Z")
Interpreting shadows in a low-resolution video still is fraught with danger. The mind likes to find patterns where they may just be nothing, or a kink in the cloth. It was tinfoil hat with the face on mars, I don’t think this is any different. ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/34 "2004-10-08T16:18:36Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > I mean, maybe it could be an emergency wire, through which they’d tell the president if a national security emergency occurred while he was onstage, so that he wouldn’t be stuck debating when he should be off scrambling jets or something. Would they pull him, though? Isn’t a presidental debate more important than reading a book with little kids? If they don’t pull him from the little kids, why would they a debate? If they did ever do that, I’m sure there would be a lot of people accusing him of setting it up, so that he could both be presidential and get out of a debate that is going badly. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/35 "2004-10-08T16:51:52Z")
Sheesh, there’s no need to attribute this to any conspiracy, people! It’s obvious he didn’t realize you’re supposed to _remove_ the coathanger before dressing. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/36 "2004-10-08T17:13:52Z")
[Beat ya to it](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=279090), Daniel. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pkd88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2bfe46/32.png) [@pkd88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkd88)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/37 "2004-10-08T17:14:22Z")
It could be: - A backup microphone for the debate incase he looked away from the main microphone - A security device to track his location. [Snake Plissken](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082340/) can find him this way. - A radio receiver that he can use to listen in to information, news, security updates etc. It could be a Secret Service feed or a way for his secretaries to speak to him. This being used for daily activities, not debate cheating. - A radio receiver to help him cheat his way through the debate - A firearm - A tape recording device that is always on and records what he says and other say to him. This could be sort of “black boxish” to use in an emergency or just for general notation of his words and conversations. - A medical device. Perhaps a monitor of his hearbeat etc. I kind of think this one maybe the most likely. He sure didn’t look well at the end of the debate. It would be fun to watch the fallout if it was a device used to “cheat” in the debate, but it could be anything. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/38 "2004-10-08T17:24:23Z")
> [@pkd88](#): > > It could be: > > [snip] > > - A tape recording device that is always on and records what he says and other say to him. This could be sort of “black boxish” to use in an emergency… Like, if he were to crash and burn? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/39 "2004-10-08T17:30:55Z")
[Here](http://www.secondchance.com/prod.asp?action=prod&prodID=18) is an example of an undercover ballistic vest made by the leading munufacturer, Second Chance. Peruse the sight, and you’ll see that no vest has a thingie in the middle of the back. Most volcro at the sides or zip up the front, and it’s at those points where you’ll usually see bumps. ---
**Author:** ![Tigers2B1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc29f/32.png) [@Tigers2B1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tigers2B1)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184/40 "2004-10-08T18:04:31Z")
First, if this hump thing on Bush’s back was sending him the responses - how was he receiving those responses? Second, you’d think that if the Bush people wanted to do this they could think up a better way to do it than putting a noticeable hump on Bush’s back. Sort of reminds me of the Nick Berg was wearing orange so the government killed him conspiracy theories - [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-back-bulge-tinfoil-hat-or-shenanigans/268184.md?page=3)