Why Check the Polls When You Can Hit the Mall?

If the New Hampshire shopping markets are any inclination of the winner of our four electoral votes, then Obama is a sure fire winner. Last night, while shopping for political prizes for the NHIOP’s Results Watch party, I discovered some interesting information. I had called a number of stores throughout the day when I found a much more valuable prize.

While on the phone with a woman from Spencer’s, my conversation went something like this:

“Hi, this is Lauren Chooljian from the NHIOP at Saint Anselm College, and I was wondering if you had any Barack Obama or John McCain teeshirts or political gifts.”

Woman from Spencer’s: “Yes! Actually you are in luck, all of our John McCain stuff is on sale.” 

On sale? I couldn’t believe it. But the more shocking news was still to come. As it turned out, Obama gear was still full price. Apparently, the demand for John McCain memorabilia was low at Spencer’s, and therefore, everything was half off. Thinking this was possibly just an odd occurrence, I visited my next destination: The Currier Museum of Art. I explained myself to the women at the desk of the gift shop and their faces lit up instantly.

“You mean you are going to buy all those McCain teeshirts?” she looks to her co-worker, “Did you hear that, she is buying the McCain stuff…thank God, our manager will be so pleased.”

This theme followed me everywhere I went. John McCain items were plentiful, but Obama items were not only few and far between, but always full price. The polls and the people’s Obama pocketbook propensity had affected the prices. It seems as if New Hampshire retailers have recognized a need in the market for more Obama gear. Every free marketer can tell you what this means: the people have decided, quite literally, that there is a greater demand for Obama than McCain. Conservatives often like to discuss the curative and scientific power of the market, though our current economic crisis might speak to another ideology. Still, there is something to be said for the recognition of retailers that McCain is not selling, and Obama is more valuable. 

 

The obsession of the race and its infiltration into our everyday lives is remarkable. Any presidential election will bring the norm of political signs on the highway and volunteers knocking at our doors at dinner time, but never in election history has the race saturated American’s lives as it has in 2008. This election has been so fervently inculcated into our lives and identities that we seek to manifest that in our apparel.  Some want to be Obama girls, others desire to be enlisted into the ranks of Hockey Moms and Joe the Plumbers. Retailers have picked up on the trend and are now responding to the demand of the market. But the market has its own message. Perhaps it is not as cool to be on McCain’s side. Perhaps McCain voters do not feel the need to show their support in this public way. The polls will speak tonight, but the quarterly numbers from the tee shirt shops are already coming in.

 

I can’t even imagine what it will be like when it’s over… more on that later.