U.S. presidential inauguration

Obama trinkets flood the web

Items from rulers to dolls celebrate the 44th president

He used the Internet in his campaign like no other presidential candidate ever before. Now, in advance of the much-anticipated inaugural ceremony, you can buy almost anything online with his face on it.

Barack Obama will become the first African American president of the United States in a few hours. But the Presidential Inaugural Committee is still sending e-mails offering people "the last chance to secure your piece of history while items are guaranteed in stock."

The committee is a federal U.S. office that organizes the social events and prints the official program for the ceremony. The committee is also in charge of the official presidential inauguration online store where people can shop for any of 97 collectible items with historical themes.

At the online store one can buy some items as cheap as the US$3 ruler that reads "January 20, 2009" to the expensive gold, silver, bronze medallion set for a whopping US$3,000.

Enlarge Image
Skateboard displaying some pop art à la Andy Warhol, Zazzle.com

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As seen from the beginning of the campaign, artists and high end designers continue to chip in to Obama's cause.

The designers Donna Karan along with Narciso Rodriguez have both designed T-shirts displaying Obama's most popular slogan "Change."

One of the more ironic items is a piggy bank with the inaugural seal on it (US$10) - a wry suggestion, perhaps that Americans should start saving their pennies, as Obama embarks to record one of the highest budget deficits in American history.

On eBay one can find Obama bobble head dolls and what appear to be custom Obama Cabbage Patch dolls. And for the younger Obama-bilia fans there is always Zazzle.com where one can find skateboards displaying multiple Obama faces à la Andy Warhol.

Mount Saint Vincent political science professor Reginald Stuart says the marketing of U.S. presidents is always big business.

"I go to Washington all the time where I see all sorts of souvenirs of other presidents," he says. But he acknowledges that "it's a great occasion for U.S history," and he fully expects a merchandising phenomenon.

One might think that the emails are targeted only toward Americans. But Canadians can also own a piece of history as they are also the recipients of the Presidential Inaugural Committee's messages.

But the thought of buying an item that will pay for activities taking place in Washington (where not a nigh number of Canadians are going to be present) might cross some people's minds.

Second-year commerce major Sasha Schwartz says Canadians should be able to buy these collectible items just like their fellow Americans. "I mean, it's not like we are funding a political party, this is different. If Canadians want to buy a piece of history, well let them. And it is a free market after all."

Second-year Dalhousie Neuroscience student Brea Giffin likes the idea, especially because given the economic circumstance we are under, she says that the American government needs to be careful with spending money. "It makes sense to me that Obama is doing this," she says.

"If Obama wants to sell mugs to not take money from the government, I think that's good thing," she says.

Giffin agrees, although she gets more political. "Realistically speaking, whether we want to hear it or not, we depend on what the U.S does, the whole world depends on it, and so anything to help Obama is good."

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