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Craigslist Gives Peek Into Odd DNC Items

Search Of Craigslist, EBay, Proves People Will Sell Anything Online

Posted: 1:04 pm EDT August 27, 2008Updated: 1:25 pm EDT August 27, 2008

Like any political convention, the streets of Denver are flooded this week with political memorabilia to mark the historic political occasion.

Vendors around town are pedaling standard political fare, T-Shirts, hats, buttons, bumper stickers and key chains.

But, a search of the popular Web sites craigslist.org and eBay suggest that this year, many people are going the non-traditional route to cash in on convention madness.

“Obama DNC Urinal Screens - $4” reads the headline of one post on Denver’s Craigslist page.

The ad promotes a urinal screen featuring a bulls-eye that can be custom made with your company’s logo or political message. It encourages buyers to place the screens in urinals at Invesco Field during Sen. Obama’s speech on Thursday night.

Other sellers are attaching the DNC moniker to literally anything to make a sale online.

“This is your chance to own a piece of the city that is hosting the most memorable presidential extravaganza in history!” reads the headline of an eBay posting. “This amazing dirt was hand-selected in downtown Denver just beneath a utility pole … This is truly an unbelievable chance to have some Democratic dirt.”

If you win the dirt auction, you also get a ‘patriotic’ wicker basket in which to place your dirt, a porcelain replica of the statue of liberty, a Denver Police tie tack and a pop-up greeting card featuring the Denver skyline. Current bid, 8 cents.

Other sellers are trying to take advantage of the scores of people that will be in town, such as the man that is selling an “original” 1966 Ford Bronco Owner’s Manual.

“Note to DNC Visitors,” the seller writes, “delivery is possible in the Denver metro area.”

Protesters are also another potential market.

“Gas mask with carrying case - a DNC must! - $25” reads the headline.

“I bought this gas mask some time ago, installed a new canister, and never had any reason to use it … such, I don't know if it actually works, but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't,” the text of the craigslist ad reads.

While items for sale online are very popular, many craigslist users are making desperate online pleas for tickets to events, concerts and speeches around town. As often happens on craiglist, many take non-traditional, non-monetary approaches to get what they want.

“I'm the CEO of an Internet Marketing firm in Southern California. I'd be willing to trade a year of search engine optimization services for a ticket to Thursday night's speech,” reads the ad.

And then there are those who already have tickets to big speech, but are looking to craiglist to make up for things that they can’t control.

Consider the ad, titled only, ‘Periscope.’

“Two short people want to rent or buy periscope for Obama speech.”

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