Candidates almost always kick off their campaigns with an online merchandise shop. Unfortunately, the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates seem to have haphazardly thrown theirs together. Looking at their websites evokes yawns and raised eyebrows.
For example, California Sen. Kamala Harris’ store features items that say “Kamala” or “Kamala Harris: For The People.” Florida is an important state both in the primaries and the general election. Anyone from that state will associate “for the people” with an ambulance-chasing law firm called Morgan and Morgan that runs annoying TV ads and has a website called, you guessed it, “For The People.” Maybe not the wisest choice for a slogan.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent, has a site featuring lame “Bernie” T-shirts and Medicare- or college-for-all shirts, with the same platitudes pasted on mugs, along with the rehashed 2016 “Feel The Bern” silliness.
Masachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s is worse, with mugs that say, “Warren puts the tea in PERSIST.” What does that even mean? You can also get a beer pint glass that says, “Persist responsibly.” That’s supposed to a play on “drink responsibly,” but what exactly does it look like to persist irresponsibly?
South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg has shirts with “Pete 2020” emblazoned across the front, which makes it sound like something from a high school student council race. If this were “The Breakfast Club,” he could run against John, Claire, Brian, Andrew, and Allison.
Thankfully, former Vice President Joe Biden entered the race and saved us all from the curse of lame campaign stuff. Granted, Biden has similar standard campaign items for sale as the others, but his team also went for the clever stuff with items such as tote bags that say “Totes for Joe,” and a baby outfit reading, “Joe is the onesie.”
And his team struck gold with a coffee mug that says “Cup O’ Joe” and features a smiling Biden wearing his aviator sunglasses. Biden will fund a quarter of his campaign selling that mug. It’s an item that’s not trying to be clever. It’s fun and lighthearted and shows that Biden doesn’t take himself too seriously. Considering the doom-and-gloom tone of the campaign so far, the “Cup O’ Joe” mug is a welcomed respite.
