The image: Less than two weeks after President Obama announced the killing of Osama bin Laden, Connecticut-based dollmaker Herobuilders is releasing an action figure portraying the commander-in-chief as a modern-day Rambo. (See the image, at right and below.) The "Rambama" doll depicts a "super-bad," muscle-bound president wearing a "Punisher" T-shirt, and carrying a "military issue M4A1 rifle." It costs $34.95. Herobuilders has previously put out action figures of Bill and Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, Saddam Hussein, and the Old Spice Guy, among others.
The reaction: This could well be "this year's political stocking stuffer," says John Johnson at Newser. "Hurry, supplies are limited, and Chris Matthews was just seen furiously dialing" Herobuilders to make sure he gets one, says Michelle Malkin at her blog. Sadly, "this doll is everything that everyone else in the world likes to hate about America: Vvolent, excessive, and willing to flaunt those traits," says Will Brinson at Guyism. Yes, "you might justifiably conclude that the depiction is offensive to the president — or that it's insulting to Navy SEALs," says Rachel Rose Hartman at Yahoo! News. But it's obvious that the company isn't interested in political statements as much as "fattening its own bottom line." See the Rambama action figure:
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