The George W. Bush Years

Every four years presidential campaigns produce enormous amounts of political souvenirs to help promote their candidate’s profile and popularity. They are usually in the form of bumper stickers, pinbacks, bobblehead dolls and t-shirts. But when you find yourself in the icy cold chill of New Hampshire during the “First in the Nation Primary”, a more practical memento can stick out.

During the 2000 presidential cycle, the George W. Bush New Hampshire 2000 scarf appeared in the Granite State. With snow on the ground and freezing temperatures outside, the 100% wool scarves were emblazoned with the campaign logo and the phrase “A REASON FOR FREEZ’N NEW HAMPSHIRE 2000”. Considering their practical application, I quickly acquired a couple of the scarves, one to use and the other for the collection. To remain politically neutral, I covered up the logo when I wore the scarf. They were a popular item and seemed to disappear quickly.

Another item I picked up along the Bush campaign trail is a W-2000 terrycloth towel with brass grommet. I can only assume it was designed for warmer climates – most likely for cleaning golf balls – as it has the ability to attach to a golf bag. It was acquired by the Bush/Cheney team and issued to the traveling press as a souvenir during the 2000 election cycle. Instead of attaching it to a golf bag, I ended up hooking the towel to my tripod and drying off wet gear while working outdoors in rainy weather.