"Any country with 'democratic' in the…

“Any country with ‘democratic’ in the title isn’t” was written by sportswriter Jim Murray (1919-1998) in the Los Angeles (CA) Times on August 3, 1980. The German Democratic Republic (East Germany) had made it a national priority to field strong Olympics teams (Murray was writing during the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow), but no one considered the GDR a true democracy. The saying has been named “Murray’s Rule” since at least 1982.

Wikipedia: Jim Murray (sportswriter)
James Patrick Murray (December 29, 1919 - August 16, 1998) was an American sportswriter at the Los Angeles Times from 1961 to 1998.

Google Books
The Washingtonian
Volume 18
1982
Pg. 108:
Murray’s Rule: Any country with “democratic” in the title isn’t. —Jim Murray

Google Books
The New Official Rules
By Paul Dickson
Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley
1990
Pg. 154:
Murray’s Rule. Any country with “democratic” in the title isn’t.
— columnist Jim Murray, Los Angeles Times, August 3, 1980; from Robert D. Specht

Google Books
Lists:
Lots of List for Laughs and Lifts
By Derric Johnson
Orlando, FL: Yess Press
1993
Pg. XXV:
POLITICS
Any country with “democratic” in the title isn’t.

Google Books
Wise Quotes of Wisdom:
A Lifetime Collection of Quotes, Sayings, Philosophies, Viewpoints and Thoughts
By R A Wise
Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse
2011
Pg. 177:
RULES—Murray’s Rule: Any country with “democratic” in the title isn’t.—Jim Murray

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Rejean Levesque
‏@levek
Any country with ‘‘democratic’’ in the title isn’t. (Jim Murray)
8:20 AM - 29 Jan 12