Convention-goers get serious about their souvenirs

BOSTON – Just before things started to get busy on the floor of the Democratic National Convention Wednesday night, state Rep. Elaine Makas of Lewiston made the five-minute walk across the hall to do some trading with the Idaho delegation.

Armed with about two dozen lapel pins in the shape of a potato with the word “Maine” printed on them, Makas was indulging in a long tradition of convention junkies: collecting and trading political memorabilia.

She had laughed earlier when noticing how similar the Maine and Idaho pins were and decided to trade for several Idaho potato-shaped pins to share with her fellow Maine delegates.

“I just thought it was so much fun, and I got such a kick out of it,” she said.

There was no shortage of souvenirs at the FleetCenter, where the convention was held, or at the Sheraton Hotel in Boston’s Back Bay, where numerous other convention events were held over the last four days.

At the Sheraton, swarms of convention goers poured over bumper stickers that said, “Give ’em Hill,” referring to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton; giant foam hands in the shape of a peace sign; and mugs, T-shirts and various other items sporting political slogans.

There also were thousands of buttons to choose from.

According to an attendant at one booth, a top selling button featured Bush as ventriloquist dummy Charlie McCarthy’s puppet – complete with top hat and monocle – sitting on Dick Cheney’s lap.

The $3 button was just one of a few things that Jennifer DeChant, a delegate from Bath, picked up. She said she also bought a rhinestone-like studded Kerry lapel pin and that some of the items would be raffled off back home to raise money for the Sagadahoc County Democrats.

Gwethalyn Phillips, a Kerry delegate from Bangor, said she has T-shirts from four out of the five Democratic conventions she has attended. At this event, she said she bought a $22 Kerry-Edwards polo shirt as well as a Kerry-Edwards bumper sticker.

“As soon as I get home, [the bumber sticker’s] going on my car,” she said. “Right next to my Mike Michaud sticker,” she added, referring to the 2nd District Congressman from Maine.

Mark Ouellette, a Kerry delegate from Scarborough, may have them all beat, at least in terms of sheer numbers.

Ouellette said he was collecting pins from all 50 states. At last count Wednesday, he said he had 48, all of which he had pinned to a lanyard hanging around his neck.

“I’m getting close. I don’t know if I’m going to make it,” he said. “New Jersey’s been elusive.”