Nothing says politics like campaign swag

By Bryan McKenzie

Published: October 19, 2008

For those riding the rails of the political fence, deciding for whom to vote can be a difficult thing.

Liberal conservatives may find that John McCain has a certain appeal while conservative liberals will have a particular fascination for Barack Obama. For consumers seeking a good deal on campaign swag and kitsch, however, it’s pretty much a draw.

Where once campaigns distributed their political booty for free, now they make money off the loot. Even minor candidates like Bob Barr, running on the Libertarian Party ticket, and Ralph Nader, who writes his own ticket every four years, are doing it.

Easy money

“Buying political merchandise became common when campaigns discovered that you can sell huge quantities of cheap stuff and make lots of money,” Larry J. Sabato, the unofficial political scientist of the 2008 presidential election, wrote in an e-mail sent from the campaign trail. “Plus, campaigns get to collect all those e-mail and shipping addresses, handy information for those rainy days when the war chest feels a bit light.”

“While political merchandising existed long before the series of tubes [called the Internet], the Internet makes selling a whole lot easier,” said Mr. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. “Obviously, candidates have to provide T-shirts and buttons and hats for their devoted fans to wear around town. Otherwise, how will protesters know at whom to throw the eggs?”

A price says a lot

Being a target isn’t terribly expensive, but it points out some differences between the candidates. If you cast your vote on the cost of a T-shirt, Mr. McCain’s your man. The McCain store charges $17 for the ubiquitous campaign T-shirt in heavyweight, 100 percent pre-shrunk cotton, with a large, official logo printed on the front, while Mr. Obama’s store prices it at $20.08.

Mr. Nader’s shirt is $25, although it has a logo on the back, as well, and Mr. Barr’s is $19.95, available only in white.

Are you a hat man? Go for Mr. Obama: The O-Store offers a black, made-in-USA by union workers, baseball style cap for $15. McMart’s version is similar, but in navy (what other color?) for $17. Mr. Nader’s hat is reduced from $20 to $19.65 while Mr. Barr is running $20.

Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama peddle nice Yuppie-approved polo-style shirts with collars ripe for poppin’, coffee mugs, stickers, yard signs and lapel pins, but there is little out-of-the ordinary merchandise.

Mr. Sabato suggests that the campaigns could make bigger bucks by focusing their entrepreneurial skills on carefully merchandized items.

“If Sarah Palin marketed those Tina Fey-style glasses, she could make a fortune,” Mr. Sabato said. “Maybe Joe Biden could endorse teeth-whitening gel.”

Perhaps we best be careful what we joke about: In politics, nothing is out of the question until the election is over.