WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Displeasure with President Obama in the polls has invaded the merchandising of the U.S. president across the country, souvenir vendors say.
Sellers in Washington said once-vibrant sales of the merchandise hawking the president, from T-shirts to cologne, are nowhere near what they were two years ago when he took office, The Washington Post reported Sunday. "Obamamania" sales peaked between the election and the inauguration, but vendors said they moved Obama goods through much of 2009.
Freddy Vinoya, with Souvenir World in the District of Columbia, said he watched sales and shoppers' interest fade since October, when the store opened. In Union Station, the souvenir shop once called the "Obama Store" because of its huge selection of Obama-related selection has closed.
"That moment in history is gone," Molly Andolina, a DePaul University political science professor, said of the fervor surrounding Obama's election. "You're going to only see the enthusiasts" still buying Obama-related memorabilia.
The downward trend in sales mirrors the downward trend in the president's popularity, she told the Post.
"The Democratic base is less excited than the Republican base," Andolina said. "Obama has lost the enthusiasm. ... It's very typical to be doing poorly at this point."
