George

In the Summer of 1952, I was a very young camper at the Ten Mile River Boy Scout Camp, in the lovely Delaware Water Gap country near Narrowsburg, New York.

The dining hall provided an intense focus of interest. For thirst, fruit juice concentrates were dumped at random into a huge vat, and a water hose was used to fill it. The sticky-sweet 'no-flavor-in-particular' substance was called 'gop.' Onomatopoeic and descriptive.

At that time (unbeknownst to us, I assure you) the Republican Party was holding its nominating convention. Some allegations of tricky dealing must have been bruited publicly and caused the nominee concern, because the New York Daily News ran a headline

IKE WANTS CLEAN GOP

It was posted prominently in the dining hall, to the merriment of all.

Dave Sagarin (electronic mail, September 1, 2003)

For related piece, see For the GOP, Anything Goes.