# What is the origin of this movie of George W. Bush giving the finger? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 3, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617 "2005-10-03T18:38:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/1 "2005-10-03T18:38:42Z")
This movie of George W. Bush jocularly giving the finger has made its rounds on the internet for a while, and from what I can tell, it appears legitimate. But does anyone know where it came from, and when it happened? [http://www.freewilliamsburg.com/images/bush-finger.gif](http://www.freewilliamsburg.com/images/bush-finger.gif) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/2 "2005-10-03T23:54:05Z")
[http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:-j5PqvHhC4gJ:onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/002261.html+bush+finger&hl=en&ie=UTF-8](http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:-j5PqvHhC4gJ:onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/002261.html+bush+finger&hl=en&ie=UTF-8) Click on the second picture, and you’ll see a video. The reporters who were there agree, it was his thumb, not his middle finger. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/3 "2005-10-04T00:15:50Z")
Sam’s link is not the same video. The first link is a VERY clear shot of W. flipping off the camera on what looks like a talk show set or something. Long before he was president. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/4 "2005-10-04T00:42:42Z")
I’m not an expert but it looks faked to me. There’s an obvious jump just before he gives the finger. And frankly the arm looks like it’s photoshopped in. ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/5 "2005-10-04T00:44:57Z")
I believe the video of Bush flipping the bird is from when he was running for governor of Texas. He was about to give a television interview, and he was joking around with the camera crew before the camera went live. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/6 "2005-10-04T00:53:58Z")
It would appear the “jump” is actually the animation looping. Gimme a sec. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/7 "2005-10-04T01:03:47Z")
I have extracted the first 19 frames of the animation for y’all to see! [linky](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/csharpmajor/bush-finger.gif) As it happens, the jump _is_ the animation looping (it starts with Bush giving the finger) and it would appear that it’s real, what with the motion blur and all. But judge for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/8 "2005-10-04T01:15:57Z")
> [@FilmGeek](#): > > Sam’s link is not the same video. > > The first link is a VERY clear shot of W. flipping off the camera on what looks like a talk show set or something. Long before he was president. Sorry. That first link, _for me_ was nothing but a still with NO finger anywhere in sight. So, you mean Bush makes a _habit_ of doing this? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/9 "2005-10-04T01:20:03Z")
I’d say both are “real” videos. The second one, however, is not his finger, but his thumb as was stated earlier. Make a thumbs-up sign with your right hand, look down your arm at it. That is the perspective it was shot at. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/10 "2005-10-04T02:46:36Z")
It’s a real video, here’s a version with sound and some more context: [http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2654327](http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2654327) ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/11 "2005-10-04T02:58:51Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > It’s a real video, here’s a version with sound and some more context: > [ifilm.com domain name is for sale. Inquire now.](http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2654327) Wow. Somehow that version makes it seem even more bizarre and ill-advised. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/12 "2005-10-04T03:18:17Z")
I stand corrected ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/13 "2005-10-04T13:42:18Z")
> [@Cagey Drifter](#): > > Wow. Somehow that version makes it seem even more bizarre and ill-advised. I realize that the tread was just asking if it was real, but, who cares? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/14 "2005-10-04T17:31:56Z")
> [@Cagey Drifter](#): > > Wow. Somehow that version makes it seem even more bizarre and ill-advised. No, just makes him seem like more of a dumbass. Anyone recognize the look on his face afterwards? Its the look of a man who just did something stupid, knows it, and is trying to play it off by smiling. ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/15 "2005-10-04T18:50:04Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Its the look of a man who just did something stupid, knows it, and is trying to play it off by smiling. I like the sound of the muffled gasps from the crowd when he does it on the video version. It’s sort of uncomfortable to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/16 "2005-10-04T19:52:17Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Its the look of a man who just did something stupid, knows it, and is trying to play it off by smiling. It looks and sounds to me that he was clowning around in front of a camera that wasn’t broadcasting, and that others off-camera laughed. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/17 "2005-10-04T20:35:24Z")
Well, there is the inadvertent flipping off of Australia a few years back (th reversed peace sign). Too many accidents of hand gestures and actions to be a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![aamco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@aamco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aamco)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-this-movie-of-george-w-bush-giving-the-finger/324617/18 "2005-10-04T23:35:56Z")
Is it really a big deal if he gave someone the finger? As if 80% of the population[sup]\*[/sup] doesn’t do it on a daily basis driving to work? This is akin to Ronald Reagan’s “outlawed Russia” comment. Just general tomfoolery, perhaps in part due to being nervous in front of a camera/microphone, that happened to get taped. I’m far more offended by, say, Cheney’s use of profanity on the Senate floor – a deliberate act of offense. [sup]\*[/sup] I grew up in Boston, okay?