[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 12 (Thursday, February 10, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S641]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL POTATO LOVERS MONTH

 Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I rise to make a few remarks 
concerning National Potato Lovers Month.
  It is whispered that February is the month for lovers. Well, Idahoans 
know that better than most Americans. You see, February is National 
Potato Lovers Month. That means that the ``eyes'' of the nation are 
upon the great state of Idaho.
  Our spuds come in all shapes, sizes, and varieties, but they all have 
homegrown a-peel: Hot taters, big taters, little taters--even tater 
tots. Spuds all over the state of Idaho chip-in to put our best side up 
during National Potato Lovers Month.
  Potatoes are truly an ``all-American'' food. In fact, instead of 
apple pie, it would be more accurate to say something is as 
``American'' as the potato. Potatoes were first pulled from the ground 
in the New World, whereas apple pie originated in Europe. As early as 
200 B.C., Inca Indians used potatoes to prevent indigestion and 
rheumatism, and used their growing cycles to measure time. During the 
19th century, the American food was planted in Ireland, where its 
popularity surged. In fact, the Irish soon learned they couldn't live 
without potatoes. When Irish potato crops failed for three years, eight 
million people died.
  Later in the 19th century, Irish immigrants popularized potatoes in 
America. They eventually discovered the promised land for potatoes--
Idaho. Our state has the cool and moist climate that grows perfect 
spuds.
  The only hiccup in America's steady consumption of potatoes came in 
the 1950's. First, instant convenience foods hit the market, and then a 
fad diet mistakenly identified potatoes as fattening. But when the 
tuber's true traits were told, potatoes joined the ranks of other 
processed foods.
  Spuds have a long and cultivated history that includes the political 
stage. Politics and the potato met long ago, when Thomas Jefferson 
served spuds at White House dinners to special guests. And politics and 
the potato met again when Dan Quayle accidentally gave the country--and 
himself--a spelling lesson, making Dan Quayle a true ``hot potato.''
  The potato continues its appetizing presence in the political arena. 
We here in the Senate might disagree, but we usually stop short of 
calling each other half-baked. And, because we know there is more than 
one way to skin a potato, we generally manage to unearth solutions.
  To celebrate National Potato Lovers Month, I'll be sending each of my 
colleagues a sampling of the world's best spuds--Idaho 
potatoes.

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