We’ve been selling progressive bumper stickers, buttons, and such for some time now — well through the last presidential election cycle. As a lark, I decided to take a look at sales statistics reaching back to the 2004 presidential election, then compare them to stats from our sales regarding the 2008 presidential race.
Four years ago last week, May 25-31 2004, here’s how many anti-Bush and pro-Kerry bumper stickers, buttons and such we sold:
For the same period this year, May 25-31 2008, here’s how many anti-McCain and pro-Obama bumper stickers, buttons and such we sold:
The difference is striking. In the last week of May 2004, people appear to have been overwhelmingly motivated by their opposition to the presidency of George W. Bush, and only tepidly motivated by their support of John Kerry. This was true even though John Kerry had been the clear Democratic presidential nominee for months. In the last week of May 2008, people appear to have been overwhelmingly motivated by their support for the candidacy of Barack Obama, and much less strongly by their opposition to John McCain. This was true even though Barack Obama had not yet secured the presidential nomination.
The election of 2004 was about a dangerous man we needed to stop. The election of 2008 is about a more positive future within our grasp.
