The newest trend in Chinese exports: Oba-mao!

In case you haven't seen them, ObaMao schwag- shirts, bags, journals, you name it- is all the rage in Beijing. China Daily reported a while back on the entrepreneur whose political mash-up memorabilia (is it still Maomorabilia?) is making splashes on both sides of the pacific. Is it funny, insensitive, confusing, or just good old fashioned marketing? Salon.com draws some pretty funny insights from the shirts:

Does a T-shirt with Obama dressed as a 1940s version of Mao mean that...

A: The tea partiers are correct, and Obama is a Marxist-Leninist-Maoist revolutionary Manchurian candidates intent on enshrining permanent revolution in the United States?

B: The Chinese are so excited about Comrade Obama's arrival that they are venerating him with the same respect and awe as they do the Great Helmsman?

C: The Chinese are so cynical and market-oriented that if they see a way to make a buck by dressing up Obama as Mao, they'll do it?

D: Some people serve the people, some people oppress the people, but a cool t-shirt is a cool t-shirt?

We have yet to see these in Shanghai, so if you know where to get one, make sure to let us know. And in case you thought Obama was a Maoist way before you saw it on a T-shirt- Glenn Beck, everyone's favorite Rightist blowhard, has "exposed" Anita Dunn, a close friend and advisor of Obama, as a Maoist. Thanks, Glenn! With your constant coverage and this T-shirt, we're pretty convinced Obama must carry a copy of the little red book around with him.

Photo by Wen Xue City