Regardless of your political opinions... [Archive]

Jessica

08-08-2003, 10:39 AM

OK, some of us are in agreement with President Bush and some are not. I don't want to get into a debate about the president. But whether you are pro-Bush or not, don't you think this is a bizarre product to sell? Or maybe not. Opinions?

http://www.kbtoys.com/genProduct.html/PID/2431939/ctid/17/place/aguc?_ts=y&ls=collect&_e=3f33b&_v=3F33BDE2CKQHaC4DFD2518E7&_ts=y

RebeccaT

08-08-2003, 10:46 AM

I don't know whether to laugh or cry...

:rolleyes:

lorilei

08-08-2003, 10:49 AM

I'm gonna do whatever Rebecca decides to do :confused:

zippy478

08-08-2003, 11:10 AM

It's kind of bizarre seeing as how I don't think any of us will ever see him in uniform like that and the only time we really see him is in a suit and tie! But, I too will do what Rebecca decides to do.......or maybe I will run and hide!

:rolleyes:

MrsReber

08-08-2003, 11:18 AM

That is rather odd, but I believe he did fly in the service,right? Hey, you might want to buy one just for the value. I bet it'd be worth lots many years from now!

tbb113

08-08-2003, 11:24 AM

I vote laugh...but then again that was my reaction when he landed on the aircraft carrier....

lhall

08-08-2003, 11:46 AM

Be afraid, be very afraid!

Ieigh

stefania4

08-08-2003, 12:00 PM

Should we expect a Saturday morning cartoon next?

jjsooner73

08-08-2003, 12:01 PM

Originally posted by lhall
Be afraid, be very afraid!

Ieigh

LOL!

What Leigh said...

colleency

08-08-2003, 12:14 PM

When I first saw that, I thought it was part of this collection:
http://www.mcphee.com/amusements/action.html

I have the Rosie the Riveter action figure :o , because I colledt Rosie the Riveter things. I thought the Freud action figure was a little odd, but most people probably think Rosie is strange.:D

claire797

08-08-2003, 12:47 PM

Gosh. Everyone can hurl rocks at me, but I don't find it that bizarre. I kind of like it...

(ducking)

SusanMac

08-08-2003, 01:14 PM

Is this a joke/mock website?? I can't tell? Is this our first leader of the free world to be turned into an action figure? Bush would personally probably prefer the version with kikker boots, baked beans in one hand and a Shiner Bock in the other. Maybe they will start giving these away in Happy Meals.

Oh wait! They can do a Schwartzenager one for the Calif Gov election!!

(p.s. I think it was his dad who flew in the service, not W. Not sure if that's right though)

P.P.S. The website says for 14 and older....why do you have to be 14 to get one ;-)?

claire797

08-08-2003, 01:28 PM

Originally posted by SusanMac
Is this a joke/mock website?? I can't tell? Is this our first leader of the free world to be turned into an action figure? Bush would personally probably prefer the version with kikker boots, baked beans in one hand and a Shiner Bock in the other. Maybe they will start giving these away in Happy Meals.

Whatever. I just like it that they're making action figures of world leaders. I'd much rather have my kid objectifying the President than Kobe Bryant or a Back Street Boy. In fact, I think it would be great if they had action figures of the whole Executive branch. How cool would that be? Political action figures! They could make a little Al Gore doll in a Green Peace outfit, a Hilary Clinton doll in a suit, an Elizabeth Dole doll dressed as a nurse....gosh, what fodder for the imagination.

MrsReber

08-08-2003, 01:31 PM

I love it! I would personally like the justices of the Supreme Court. At least then our kids would know who they were! I can see it now. You'd be able to buy the whole courtroom and some robes. They could have Ken and Barbie argue before them.

claire797

08-08-2003, 01:35 PM

Originally posted by MrsReber
I love it! I would personally like the justices of the Supreme Court. At least then our kids would know who they were!

And adults would too!

JHolcomb

08-08-2003, 01:36 PM

Originally posted by colleency
When I first saw that, I thought it was part of this collection:
http://www.mcphee.com/amusements/action.html

I have the Rosie the Riveter action figure :o , because I colledt Rosie the Riveter things. I thought the Freud action figure was a little odd, but most people probably think Rosie is strange.:D

Ooh. I knew they had a Jesus, but didn't know they had a Moses...seriously tempted to buy the Moses action figure.

I still don't think the action figure is any weirder than these:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0486421902/ref=lib_rd_prev_3/104-2284354-7809545?v=glance&s=books&vi=reader&img=3#reader-link

Actually, I'm sure with the collectables market, other world figures have been turned into action figures. People will collect anything (as evidenced by the fact that I want a Moses action figure and a Martin Luther bobblehead doll).

BTW, if you "look inside" the book, and get to the last page, you'll see that Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan (and their respective families), are avaliable in paper doll form.

gabbyh

08-08-2003, 01:55 PM

Only in America :rolleyes:

Jessica

08-08-2003, 01:59 PM

I think George W. Bush was a pilot with the National Guard but I could be mistaken. His father was either a pilot or paratrooper in WWII.

Kristilyn1

08-08-2003, 03:50 PM

yes, George W. Bush was actually a pilot. I'm surprised that anyone thinks this is weird, I wouldn't think it was weird if they made action figures for ANY political leader.........whether I liked them or not.

I mean, c'mon, they have BRITTANY SPEARS dolls......

Kristi

colleency

08-08-2003, 04:25 PM

Originally posted by JHolcomb
I still don't think the action figure is any weirder than these:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0486421902/ref=lib_rd_prev_3/104-2284354-7809545?v=glance&s=books&vi=reader&img=3#reader-link

Those are Dover paper dolls! These are really great for paper dolls of different periods, Victorian, thirties, etc. http://search.store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/nsearch?follow-pro=1&vwcatalog=doverpublications&catalog=doverpublications&query=paper%20dolls See if you can spot the Nixon paper dolls!

Gilgamesh37

08-08-2003, 04:34 PM

I bet this is the same company--when I was in law school (holy cow, TEN years ago??) I DID have a set of Supreme Court Justice paper dolls. They were a scream--although I was slightly embarrassed to see Sandra Day in her slip, and downright alarmed to see Nino Scalia in his boxers.....

Pico

08-08-2003, 04:50 PM

Hmm... I think President Bush could look pretty cute in a Malibu Ken outfit...

ErinM

08-08-2003, 04:54 PM

Originally posted by JHolcomb

Ooh. I knew they had a Jesus

I have a Jesus! :rolleyes: It was a gift from my brother who thought it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen (not the most religious person in the world, you gather.)

As for the Bush doll...I'm tempted to laugh til I cry....

Although from Ana's viewpoint, I agree it's a good idea.

kwormann

08-08-2003, 05:44 PM

Originally posted by Kristilyn1
yes, George W. Bush was actually a pilot. I'm surprised that anyone thinks this is weird, I wouldn't think it was weird if they made action figures for ANY political leader.........whether I liked them or not.

I mean, c'mon, they have BRITTANY SPEARS dolls......

Kristi

Dont you think it speaks to commercialism that we find this weird but not Brittney...donnie and marie, wonder woman...etc

this is not a slam to anyone here, just a study in human nature:D:D:D

Kristilyn1

08-09-2003, 07:02 AM

Originally posted by kwormann

Dont you think it speaks to commercialism that we find this weird but not Brittney...donnie and marie, wonder woman...etc

this is not a slam to anyone here, just a study in human nature:D:D:D

Oh absolutely!

Kristi

BlueMoose

08-09-2003, 07:18 AM

I don't think it's strange at all. I'd much rather have my kids play with a president of the United States action figure than a Diva Starz or Bratz doll.

ErinM

08-09-2003, 07:30 AM

tbb113

08-09-2003, 09:18 AM

I find them all bizarre and little disconcerting. Why would you want to collect/play with real people????

Tyra

Jessica

08-11-2003, 07:28 AM

Kristilyn and others--I see your point, but to me it felt almost disrespectful, as if we were putting the president on the same level as Britney Spears.

LauraBL

08-11-2003, 07:44 AM

It's all I can do not to buy that for my husband as a gag gift. Wait until that doll hits the super sale bin and I'm there.

RebeccaT

08-11-2003, 08:09 AM

Originally posted by kwormann

Dont you think it speaks to commercialism that we find this weird but not Brittney...donnie and marie, wonder woman...etc

I have to disagree - Britney, Donnie and Marie, etc. are products. They and their handlers have spent a lot of time and energy creating the enterprise that is their persona. Plus, they are in the entertainment business. It's not that big of a stretch to say that their performances are for our entertainment, as are the action figures.

However, the leader of the free world (whether or not you agree that he should be there, the fact is that he is) is NOT an enterprise, is not in this position for our entertainment. I think that to make a toy out of him is to diminish the importance and seriousness of his position.

Whether or not I have respect for Bush, I should have respect for the office of President. I don't think that an action figure shows that respect.

JMHO.

Jessica

08-11-2003, 08:15 AM

Originally posted by RebeccaT

Whether or not I have respect for Bush, I should have respect for the office of President. I don't think that an action figure shows that respect.

Yes, that is exactly what I was trying to say.

oskie

08-11-2003, 08:27 AM

I just can't believe it's $40! Maybe I'm out of touch with action figure prices, but I thought that was a little steep, even for a superhero with "Veto Power"...:D

honeygirl1971

08-11-2003, 08:34 AM

I think it's sick, especially since W. was no "elite force aviator," that's just a role he played on tv. They even explain that in the description of the doll. Bush was in the National Guard during the Vietnam War, guarding Texas. There have also been numerous stories printed (in the Boston Globe, The New Republic, and elsewhere) about Bush going a.w.o.l. for over a year while he was supposed to be serving his country. See here, among other places, if you are interested: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/030411.html

The president shouldn't be a product, but he is nevertheless--politics are all about marketing in this country. How else can you explain the chaos in California? I could go on but I won't for fear of offending someone. But no matter how much you love the president, when you think about how children treat their dolls, you may decide that it's not really appropriate for our president to be an action figure.

Jill123

08-11-2003, 09:38 AM

I think this is great! But then again, I got a Michael Jackson doll as a girl and whenever I played with my Barbies, MJ was always the bad guy. (I must have been clairvoyant!) :D

MusicMom

08-11-2003, 10:51 AM

Originally posted by RebeccaT
However, the leader of the free world (whether or not you agree that he should be there, the fact is that he is) is NOT an enterprise, is not in this position for our entertainment. I think that to make a toy out of him is to diminish the importance and seriousness of his position.

Whether or not I have respect for Bush, I should have respect for the office of President. I don't think that an action figure shows that respect.

JMHO.

That was my reaction- especially since DS and I were LOL when we saw the photo and description.

Peggy C.

08-11-2003, 01:49 PM

Originally posted by oskie
I just can't believe it's $40! Maybe I'm out of touch with action figure prices, but I thought that was a little steep, even for a superhero with "Veto Power"...:D

LOL!

Oh and I agree with what Rebecca said, and needless to say if I was a 10 will a Bratz doll and a George W. (or any other presidential doll for that matter) doll, guess who would have been hitched by now?:D