W adopted the "stay the course" adage from?

[Lost-in-FL]

Poll question: W adopted the "stay the course" adage from?

Really, it seems hard for the GOP to get rid of this misguided attitude. I thought they would learn from W.

[peace frog]

1. I thought it was from Nixon, or could have been Reagan

Whatever. "Generic GOP" it is.

[CloakedClock]

2. I thought it originated with H.W. Bush?

I believe Dana Carvey even included it in his brilliant H.W. Bush parody.

[caledesi]

4. Me too CC....I remember it. nt

[peace frog]

3. From Wikipedia:

The phrase has had fitful use in American politics. It was used by several figures during the Vietnam War, including Gen. William Westmoreland, who wrote in his 1976 autobiography A Soldier Reports that "a lack of determination to stay the course...demonstrated in Cambodia, South Vietnam, and Laos that the alternative to victory was defeat."<6> It had been invoked during wartime by President Lyndon Johnson in a 1967 speech<7> and by Johnson's Undersecretary of the Air Force Townsend Hoopes.<6>

"Stay the course" was later popularized by Ronald Reagan while campaigning for Republicans during the 1982 mid-term elections, arguing against changes in his economic policies. According to the Washington Post, Reagan used the "stay the course" phrase while on a ten-day political campaign through fourteen states,<9> and it was included in his 1982 budget message,<10> where he sought to allay fears that his policies were causing a recession.<11> He continued using it as a slogan through the November election.<12>

His Vice-President, George H.W. Bush, would later pick up the phrase as an argument for his election as President, both during the primaries and general campaign.<13> His over-use of the phrase was parodied in a Saturday Night Live<14> sketch.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stay_the_course

[ChandlerJr]

5. LBJ referring to his failure in S.E. Asia

we used to cringe at that.

Hey Hey LBJ how many kids did you kill today?

[The Magistrate]

6. Very True, Sir

Can hear it even now....

[lpbk2713]

7. Rove

Shit-for-Brains would never attempt to do anything as complex as thinking without checking with Rover first.

[ashling]

8. As with most things:

Cheney.

[Scout]

9. the Mel Gibson movie "The Patriot" is where i think he got it. n/t