# The best Obama shwag **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 20, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706 "2008-11-20T20:23:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/1 "2008-11-20T20:23:37Z")
I wasn’t exactly sure where to put this thread, but it seems pretty Cafe Society like to me. I don’t think any president has ever been such a boom to the shwag industry, but what is the really quality shwag that people will respect later? I’ve got the Chicago Trib from Nov 5th, but that’s not really shwag. Obama signs I think are shwag, too bad I chose not to take one when I donated. I just figured it would be more effective in someone elses lawn since I don’t actually live on the road. I tried to get an Obama onsie for my kid, but the Obama site crapped out when I tried to order. But what about the unofficial stuff? Obama cereal Dave’s Obama sauce. (It tastes like Tobasco so don’t open it, just save it and use Tobasco.) Obama Condoms What else is out there. What do you think will turn out to be the best Obama shwag? What wil be the “in the package 1982 Boba Fett with a gun”\* of Obama shwag? - Or whatever is the big deal for Star Wars collectors? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/2 "2008-11-20T21:25:29Z")
What is “shwag”? Is it different from "swag’? ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/3 "2008-11-20T21:37:51Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > What is “shwag”? Is it different from "swag’? Yesh. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/4 "2008-11-20T21:46:10Z")
Obviously, I had the word wrong. For some reason I always called it shwag. Of course I meant [swag definition 2](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=swag). Now that we have corrected my urban lingo, do you have anything useful to say on the subect, or are you just driving by to poke fun at how foolish I must feel for getting the word wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/5 "2008-11-20T21:57:39Z")
I got a bunch of buttons, both as a volunteer and by ordering from [Demstore.com](http://Demstore.com) and [Barackobama.com](http://Barackobama.com). You can also get T-shirts, polo shirts, hats and about a zillion other products there (and that’s not even counting [Cafepress.com](http://Cafepress.com)). ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/6 "2008-11-20T21:59:01Z")
Don’t throw the towel in to early, **WarmNPrickly** , I say schwag too: > [@](#): > > "\ ***What Is Schwag?** > > The term schwag refers to all manner of logoed stuff given away by companies to get people to remember them, feel good about them, have their phone number and website at hand and generally make them think about them before any of their competitors. And studies show… it works!! (see why buy schwag) > > The original spelling is “swag” (for Stuff We All Get). A little web research has revealed that there is definitely a widespread use of the term, but no real consensus on the “correct” spelling. One site explained “schwag is what the coolest of the cool people say” and another site indicated it’s “called schwag if the item is particularly good.” > > Other names for Schwag: tchotchkes,knickknacks, trinkets and trash, gack, promotional products\* [Enlinkment.](http://www.promosapien.ca/Content/About%20Us/What%20Is%20Schwag.asp) [sup]See, I too am the coolest of the cool![/sup] ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/7 "2008-11-20T21:59:42Z")
They promised me a tee-shirt when I made my donation. I’m still waiting. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/8 "2008-11-20T22:02:21Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > …but what is the really quality shwag that people will respect later? [Not any of these, I’m pretty sure](http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=210889&title=back-in-black-obama-merchandise). ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/9 "2008-11-20T22:05:26Z")
i wanted one of those obama tire gauges that the mccain campaign gave out. they backfired in a rather unexpected way. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/10 "2008-11-20T22:24:09Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > i wanted one of those obama tire gauges that the mccain campaign gave out. they backfired in a rather unexpected way. Oooh! That’s a good one. > [@Don't fight the hypothetical](#): > > Don’t throw the towel in to early, WarmNPrickly, I say schwag too: Thanks, I knew that’s what I had heard over the years. Still I guess I spelled it wrong. Anyway, it’s not meant as a grammer thread so whatever you want to call it is all good with me as long as the context is clear. I’ll tell you what made me think of this. My parents brought up a bunch of junk I had sitting at their house from years ago. As I was sorting through it I found an “I Like Eisenhower Nixon” pin. I’m way to young to have that thing. I have no idea where I got it, but suddenly it’s one of my coolest possesions. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/11 "2008-11-20T22:48:02Z")
I just have the Tribune and Shwag is a perfectly cromulent word. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/12 "2008-11-20T23:02:40Z")
> [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](#): > > Yesh. Hey, Mooch. How’s Earl? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Superhero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Superhero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Superhero)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/13 "2008-11-21T01:11:29Z")
My favorite button out of the many that I got at the convention was the button depicted [here](http://gnosticminx.blogspot.com/2008/07/obama-mamas.html), top left of the image (there were t-shirts, too, but I was after buttons). I liked it so much I got some extras to send to friends in distant locales. Sadly, mine slipped off (or was taken from) my backpack on Election Day. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/14 "2008-11-21T01:27:16Z")
I love that! After having looked through some stuff on ebay, I wonder how much of it is genuine. How can you tell the real schwag from the stuff some dude made up once he realized he could make a mint on the gullible? I remember when Enron colapsed, my brother-in-law wanted some Enron parephenalia. I got him an Enron retirement mug, but the fact is that it was so cheap and there was so much of it on ebay, that I’m pretty sure people were just printing new stuff on demand. For gifts I could care less since it’s cheap and I can play ignorant when they find out it’s fake, but how can be certain your getting the real thing. I noticed a guy selling the tire gauges for 5 dollars a piece. I think some company printed out thousands of them after they realized there was a demand and most people wouldn’t check. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/15 "2008-11-21T14:03:11Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > Obviously, I had the word wrong. For some reason I always called it shwag. Of course I meant [swag definition 2](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=swag). Now that we have corrected my urban lingo, do you have anything useful to say on the subect, or are you just driving by to poke fun at how foolish I must feel for getting the word wrong? I always assume that _I_ am behind the lingo curve and wondered if this was a new term or variation. Don’t assume hostile intent. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/16 "2008-11-21T14:31:22Z")
When I went to the Obama rally here people were walking around the long line to get in selling stuff. People had printed all sorts of different tshirts, buttons, posters, even towels. Yard signs, stickers, everything. None of it “official.” I’ve got a couple buttons and bumper stickers, and a t-shirt. All from either MoveOn or Obama’s official website. Had a yard sign too a friend got for me. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/17 "2008-11-21T14:56:32Z")
Next time David Plouffe writes to me with his hand out, I’m going to write back and ask where my car magnet is. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/18 "2008-11-21T15:01:04Z")
Bah. Chum. It makes me cry. Especially lawn signs. Speaking of, I hear law signs are going for a few hundred bucks on Ebay. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/19 "2008-11-25T01:46:39Z")
i just remembered, there is a memorial button for obama’s grandmother. it has her name, year of birth, year of death, there is a candle burning, and in the candle is the obama logo. the logo is very faint and you have to really study it to see it. we only got a few of these buttons but they were hard fought over. i thought they were nice and rather well done. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-obama-shwag/473706/20 "2008-11-25T03:20:41Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Next time David Plouffe writes to me with his hand out, I’m going to write back and ask where my car magnet is. I got mine the day after the election.