Obamania

Protecting Barack’s Brand

Lawyers want to protect president from cheap merchandise.

Wake up, drink a cup of Barack-O coffee, shower with an Audacity of Soap bar, and slip on your Obama-themed running shoes to start your day. After a proliferation of products relating to Barack Obama's presidency hit the market—Yes Pecan ice cream and beanie babies named after Sasha and Malia, among others—White House lawyers are working to protect his reputation from blatant commercialism. "Our lawyers are working on developing a policy that will protect the presidential image while being careful not to squelch the overwhelming enthusiasm that the public has for the President," said White House spokesman Jen Psaki. There are legal rights for public figures to control their images, writes the The Times of London, but the sheer volume of unauthorized branding will prove difficult to control.