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ANDOVER — With two debates
down and less than a month to go until the election,
the race for the presidency is neck and gingerbread
neck at Perfecto's Caffe. |
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Eight
weeks into his cookie poll, owner Max Gabriello
said Democratic nominee Barack Obama is carrying
a slight lead over Republican rival John McCain |
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Although
the idea of the poll is for customers to buy the
cookie of the candidate they support, occasionally
someone comes along who skews the results. |
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"This
one guy comes in and asks for a Barack cookie,"
Gabriello recalled. "He chews the head off
and throws the rest in the garbage... Some people
are serious about their politics." |
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Gabriello
came up with the idea of frosted gingerbread candidates
and a cookie poll as a way to make people smile
during such a serious election cycle. They are
made with tiny frosting suits and blue and red
ties, with McCain's cookie even including realistic
frosting wrinkles on his brow. |
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"I've
never been huge into politics," Gabriello
said. "They're all so serious on TV, I wanted
to do something silly." |
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He
keeps tabs on how many Obama, McCain — and
yes, Sarah Palin — cookies customers buy
at his locations in Andover, North Andover, Tewksbury
and Peabody, and plans to announce a winner come
November. |
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The cookies
cost $2.59 a piece. |
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While he does
not sell Joe Biden cookies, Gabriello swears it's
not out of any bias against the Delaware senator.
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"I thought
the guy here (McCain) could be Biden's twin,"
he said. "It would be hard to make them different
in gingerbread." |
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Gabriello isn't
the only businessman capitalizing on this year's
heated presidential race. People can buy everything
from sandwiches named after their candidates, to
Halloween masks, to T-shirts — there are even
bobble head dolls. |
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Mr. Bartley's
Gourmet Burgers in Cambridge, owned by Andover resident
Joe Bartley and his son, has sold both a John McCain
and Barack Obama burger. |
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But the cookie
poll appears to be a national phenomenon, and one
that could serve as a preview of the outcome of
the November election. After all, cookie polls accurately
predicted George W. Bush's win back in 2004. |
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As of last week, the national Retail Bakers Association's
cookie poll had Obama in the lead by a comfortable
12,077 to 9,022 cookie margin. |
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Gabriello is
less open with the tally of his cookie count, saying
he doesn't want to sway the poll. |
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"I'll
say we've already sold tons of these," he said.
"But it's a secret ballot until the end."
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Gabriello did
hint that his poll is much closer than the results
of more scientific polls that show Obama with a
healthy lead. |
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"But
I'm not giving numbers," he repeated
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Gabriello has
also suspended Palin's cookie campaign for now,
replacing her with Red Sox gingerbread as the team
heads into the Tampa Bay series. But he promises
she will be back. |
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"She wears
these glasses and a little business suit. She was
cute," he said. "A definite favorite,
whether or not people like her." |
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Gabriello is
encouraging his customers to vote early and often.
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"One lady
bought some and said she was going to ship them
to Florida," he said. "Sales go up on
debate days, or anytime a candidate makes a big
statement on the television." |
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Customers leaving
Perfecto's on North Main Street last week said the
cookies left them tickled. |
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"I'm not
sure who I'm voting for yet, so I'll have to try
one of each," said Janet Lynch of North Andover,
laughing. "I'll probably need a box of these
before this election is over." |
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Bob Locke of
Tewksbury was more firm in his opinion. |
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"I won't
lie. I ate a Sarah cookie last week," he said.
"But I'm voting Obama-Biden." |
