Let’s be honest here: A great number of Northwestern students are just a little bit obsessed with President-elect Barack Obama. Many headed to important swing states last fall in pursuit of coveted “change,” and on November 5th, Facebook newsfeeds became a stream of albums filled with Grant Park and Obama photos. But we are not alone as shown in Obama’s booming merchandise sales. Items with Obama’s name, face and slogans are popping up everywhere.
Obama fans have a lot to choose from in deciding what item to buy to demonstrate their love for the President-elect with T-shirts, sweatshirts, teddy bears and posters. Retailers have also capitalized on the Obama craze in ways less conventional (and beyond) with some of these Obama items.
This bottle of Napa Valley Merlot from La Finquita Winery is a collectible limited edition: Only 2,008 “Barack Obama Wine” bottles were manufactured. This presidential wine also won a bronze medal at the “Dallas Morning News Wine Competition” last year and at $54.95 including shipping, “Barack Obama Wine” costs $34.95 more than the merlot without the special Obama ’08 label.
A search of “Barack Obama thong” at Café Press yields 24,200 products featuring 17,800 designs. Whether you’re a doctor for Obama, a Kentucky resident for Obama, or whether you simply want underwear with a picture of Obama dressed as a pumpkin on it, you can have it!
Before the one-and-a-half NU anti-Obama students reading this get excited, you cannot wipe your butt with this in a defiant gesture showing what you really think of Obama. The ink is toxic. Though the roll should not show up in the bathroom, the site says it will “look great on the desk of any Democrat.”
At first sight, “The OBAMArella” is just an ordinary umbrella printed with the President-elect’s picture. But really, “The OBAMArella” is so much more than “just” an umbrella — the device also flashes lights and talks. Just press a button on the handle and the umbrella encourages you to “SUSTAIN in the RAIN” to support Obama’s assertion that the U.S. “is in desperate need of change.”
When you go to the Obama Condoms website, Obama yells at you that he’s “ready to go.” The retailer’s slogans include “Experience….Not Necessary” and “Use with Good Judgement” [sic]. The condoms are FDA approved, but while they say they cannot guarantee the Obama condoms will work, the manufacturer can say without wearing a condom, “there’s likely to be an Obama-mama in your future.”
Head O State — “The Official Obama Pleasure Toy”
The “Head O State” dildo is created in the likeness of the future leader of the free world. The commemorative edition comes in both “Democratic Blue” and “Presidential Gold.” If you order one for yourself and two for your lucky friends, you can even get them shipped for free. While no reviews on the actual pleasure capacity of the item could be found, the “Head O State” Facebook product page has 30 fans and a girl at an adult video convention crooning that she “wants head. Head O State, baby.”
FOR THE ANTI-OBAMA:
Commie Obama Rally Cap
This Soviet-style Ushanka hat comes with placards that can be attached to the front or side in an anti-Obama statement. The best selling placards say “Liberal/Progressive/Communist” and “When life gives you Lenin…Drink Leninade.” “Leninade,” a lemon soda with the communism symbol on the label, is sold on the website in package deals with the hat. The website even shows a picture of Ann Coulter wearing the hat in a photo slideshow. Other famous people who own the hat include John R. Bolton and Ed Morrissey.
Whether you’re in D.C. or Evanston, there are hundreds of ways — both subtle and not-so subtle, tasteful and not-so-tasteful — to show either pride or disgust with the coming change. Some settle for a simple “Obama ‘08″ shirt, but we’re certain you can do much better.