Political merchandise can tell us a lot about an election

By Lily Tyson

Published January 3, 2024 at 12:29 PM EST

US President-elect Donald Trump merchandise on sale outside the White House in Washington, DC, on January 19, 2017, a day ahead of the inauguration of the 45th US president. — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump merchandise on sale outside the White House in Washington, D.C., on January 19, 2017, a day ahead of the inauguration of the 45th U.S. president.

This hour we look at the world of political merchandise. We explore the history of political merchandise, what it can tell us about an election, and the latest trends going into 2024. Plus, we’ll talk with a t-shirt maker to learn about the current landscape of political merchandise, and what sales can tell us about the priorities of voters.

GUESTS:

Claire Jerry: Curator of Political History for the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Hunter Schwarz: Journalist and the founder and curator of the visual politics newsletter “Yello”
Mike Draper: Founder and owner of the t-shirt maker Raygun

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Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.