Obama Chia Pet Pulled From Stores

Walgreen's stores in Tampa and Chicago have pulled the "Chia Obama" from their shelves, after some customers complained the plants were racist.

According to Walgreens spokesman Robert Elfinger, Walgreen's store managers can choose products to market in their own stores. But, after the store's higher-ups began receiving complaints, they ordered the chia pets off the shelves.

The Obama Chia also made a brief appearance on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange last week.

The Chia Obama will still be available at chiaobama.com.

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Comments

[barrycourage]

11:32 AM on 04/10/2009

Anything for a buck.

[Jay Pegram]

11:17 AM on 04/08/2009

First Off. Obama is Bi racial with a Black Kenyan Father and a White American mother. However, that has nothing to do with anything. First it is a lack of respect for the Presidency of the United States, regardless of what the nationality, race, religion, creed, or sexual orientation is of the President or us as citizens. This also goes in line with our national Security. We have just spent 8 years demeaning the previous President publicly ( justified or not), previous 8 years with another President being dragged through the mud for his personal affairs and lack of focus on enemy matters (justified or not),and it appears it will not cease as we move forward until people understand and act, including Barack Obama, that the presidency shall be respected as a right of culture, security, and a guidance for the citizens. On the race issue- The last and only Chia Pet that was of an actual person, was Mr. T, who was also Black.

[robingee]

12:24 PM on 04/09/2009

Oh that's just silly. And I am a through-and-through liberal who loves Obama. But good grief. I think he would probably think it was funny and put it on his desk.

[McFlipFlop]

09:11 AM on 04/08/2009

But I want a Chia-Cheney, or maybe a Chia-Dick.

[trinity]

07:43 PM on 04/07/2009

They are real? When I first saw these advertised on Fox News, I honestly thought it was a stupid right wing joke.

[IssuesInFocus]

08:16 AM on 04/08/2009

Disgustingly racist! Where were the Chias for the former presidents?

[DonnaBarstow]

06:53 PM on 04/07/2009

I invented the Obama Chia Pet. http://thecartoons.net/2008/12/21/the-barack-obama-chia-pet/ It was on my blog before it ever appeared anywhere, and even before the Chia Pet Company had a website! Did they steal the idea from me? Apparently.

However, I'm a political cartoonist for Slate http://cartoonbox.slate.com/donnabarstow/, so I can continue to draw many other political figures as plants.

[joewalters]

01:14 PM on 04/07/2009

In regards to my previous post... I forgot about the CNBC thing.

The CNBC thing was childish. I guess its really how you use it.

[joewalters]

01:12 PM on 04/07/2009

Maybe people thought it was racist because of the hair resembling an afro. I don't think it is racist, but I do think it is a silly attempt to capitalize on Obama's popularity.

(for the record... I'm black)

[Jay Pegram]

11:17 AM on 04/08/2009

First Off. Obama is Bi racial with a Black Kenyan Father and a White American mother. However, that has nothing to do with anything. First it is a lack of respect for the Presidency of the United States, regardless of what the nationality, race, religion, creed, or sexual orientation is of the President or us as citizens. This also goes in line with our national Security. We have just spent 8 years demeaning the previous President publicly ( justified or not), previous 8 years with another President being dragged through the mud for his personal affairs and lack of focus on enemy matters (justified or not),and it appears it will not cease as we move forward until people understand and act, including Barack Obama, that the presidency shall be respected as a right of culture, security, and a guidance for the citizens. On the race issue- The last and only Chia Pet that was of an actual person, was Mr. T, who was also Black.

[Imzadi]

10:42 AM on 04/07/2009

But no comments/outrage about Glenn Beck's Obama bobblehead... That is so wrong in so many ways.

[friskee1]

10:30 AM on 04/07/2009

it looks like a jheri curl

[Oguz Erkan]

09:09 AM on 04/07/2009

I agree with the last comment. We can not keep commercializing everything and anything. It is a maturity issue and the opportunity.

[harriscrl3]

09:03 AM on 04/07/2009

It bothers me the way people try to capitalize on this President. We have that whatever sells mentality gosh America still have some GROWING UP to do.

They need to stick with Chia herbs thats a good idea this is just desperate.

Carol

[noudidnt]

08:55 AM on 04/07/2009

The President should have put a copyright on his image. I bet he's kicking himself. The Chia is dumb.

[mowomo]

08:49 AM on 04/07/2009

Tacky? Maybe. Racist? Not really. Frankly I consider it a great honor to be Chia-Petted. Like getting your head on a Pez. OH MAN! WAIT!!!! Pez - Prez.......I smell money................

[chicagomench]

08:56 PM on 04/07/2009

Prez-Pez is priceless. As an Obama voter I called my sister to get one for one of our other sisters, because of it's campy tackiness. I laughed at the commercial. Some people have no tste, or shame. LOL And people...If I can't dance I don't want to be in your revolutipn.

[Jay Pegram]

11:22 AM on 04/08/2009

The only other person to be a Chia Pet was Mr. T, who is also Black. The two people used were considered to be of a particular race. Thus, can be considered racist. Because surely, there were and are more popular Persons in this culture that can be" honored" as Chia Pets. However these two were chosen. Racist decisions, by the way are not all negative, however an ensight on how decisions are made.

[lochnessmonster]

07:16 AM on 04/07/2009

That was my firsst thought when I saw it..

[Ryoki]

05:57 AM on 04/07/2009

Man I thought I was mad when they did this to Scooby-Doo! I blame this on the powerful chia lobby.
"Chias don't kill people,people kill people."