LOS ANGELES: As US President George W. Bush wages a war of words against Iraq, his “mini-me” talking doll is chatting up a Christmas storm — complete with presidential flubs.
The novelty toy, manufactured in China, is the brainchild of an enterprising California building contractor, is flying off the shelves at such a rate that the gob-smacked creators cannot keep up with holiday demand for the prattling mini-president.
“We have been swept off our feet by orders for the doll in the run-up to Christmas,” said creator John Warnock. “It’s been truly amazing how popular Dubya doll has been,” he said referring to Bush’s nickname, a derivative of his middle initial.
The 30.48 centimeter (12 inch) action figurine that spouts 17 Bushisms, including his tough-talk mantras pushing his war against terror and phrases such as “I come from Texas,” sold out in just three days following its launch last week.
“Our first run was 20,000 units and they went almost instantly. Now we have another 26,000 units on order, but they are already sold out, even though we only receive that shipment from China in January,” Warnock said.
“This doll is beyond a winner. He’s a true action hero and a patriotic gift,” said Warnock, a staunch supporter of the Republican president, from his base in Irvine, near Los Angeles.
The creator of the toy said the dialogue of the doll, the first talking presidential action figure, was inspired by Bush’s “powerful and patriotic” pronouncements.
But in addition to the battery of patriotic chants, including “Terrorism against our nation will not stand,” the Bush mini-me also repeats some of its master’s most celebrated errors of speech such as: “We are working hard toshow either his comedic side or his misuse of English, because this is after all a toy and should be fun too,” Warnock said.
Warnock came up with the idea as a way of combining his interests in politics and toys, and then teamed up with his fatheraction figure has already prompted huge mark-ups on the secondary market, with the dolls selling for up to $750 on Internet auction site E-Bay, according to Warnock.
It has even stirred up a somewhat ominous interest in the Middle East, where prospective buyers have put in orders for a container-load of the Bush dolls, he said.
“I can see what they might be thinking of doing with the figures so I decided not to take the order, especially at this critical time in political and military terms in that area.”
The figure’s success has prompted Warnock and Wessling to come up with ideas for other presidential action heroes, including Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.
But given the patriotic, if lighthearted, tone of the toys, the pair is not considering creating a line of toys depicting Bush’s arch-foes Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden.
“I don’t even want to go there,” Warnock said. “In these tense times, these are the last people I want to give exposure to.”—AFP
