Phil Phum, a street vendor in Washington D.C. said Sunday he was thankful to U.S. President-elect Barack Obama as the latter, who is to be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, has offered him a well-paid job -- selling Obama.
While tens of thousands of people, in a queue more than one km long, were braving frigid weather to attend a historic concert at the National Mall to celebrate the country's first African American president, many street vendors were busy selling Obama-related items. Phum, a strong Obama supporter, was one of them.
Ever since Obama won the presidential election, T-shirts, buttons, basketballs, calendars, stamps, coins, posters, golf balls, tote bags and money clips printed with Obama image, and even eyebrow-raising items from hot sauce to thong underwear have become hot-selling items of street vendors.
"There are over 1,000 street vendors who signed up to sell Obama," said Phum, adding there were probably another 1,000 or more selling the same things, but without permit.
"I have been following Obama since the 2006 mid-term election," he said, adding he had strongly believed that Obama would become a rising political star soon.
"I have been selling Obama since he declared his decision for presidency," he said.
Jeff Reul, who was selling Obama one block away from Phum, told Xinhua that he was looking forward to the inauguration on Tuesday.
"Being a part of history, it should be great," he said.
Obama "craze" has been spreading across the country, which has attracted attention from market researchers.
It is something almost like religious phenomenon, marketing teacher Tomas Gomez-Arias of St. Mary's College of California in Moraga said of the retail craze.
Millions of Americans want something to remember the next president – even if it is a perishable food item.
A slice of toasted Wonder Bread that appeared to have burnt markings resembling Obama's face was auctioned on eBay in November. Nineteen bidders drove the sales price to 205 dollars.
More than 20,000 pieces of Obama items were reportedly auctioned Friday on eBay, one of the numerous online sources.
Obama has become a pop culture icon, and a political icon as well, said Karan Bard of eBay, adding sales of Obama-related items would continue to grow.
Obama has "rock-star status," said Adam Gottlieb of Sacramento, president of the Northern California Chapter of American Political Items Collectors.
More than 900 vendors will reportedly hawk items in the streets during Tuesday's inauguration, more than four times the total for any predecessor, said Shana Kemp, licensing spokeswoman.
Many market researchers believe "selling Obama" is a very unique phenomenon, but understandable.
While the U.S. economy is at its low ebb, many Americans hope that change will come soon and quite many even place the hope on their "superhero" Obama who is young and energetic, smart and resolute.
"Too many people have placed too many dreams on Obama, that's why he has been 'selling' so well," said Phum.
(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2009)