The US presidential race is heating up.

The same applies to trademarks!

John McCain currently has two Federal trademarks, one registered & one pending, for "McCain Space" and "McCain." These applications were filed in January 2007 for, among other things, "promoting the public awareness of a candidate for election."

Senator Clinton has been in the news recently about her use of "Solutions for America," which is a trademarked phrase owned by the University of Richmond.

Mr. Obama does have a pending Federal trademark for the logo associated with its campaign. The 9 different classes include such varied goods/services as golf balls, clothing, lapel pins, water bottles, fundraising, etc.

There are a number of sadly rejected trademark applications using some variation of a candidate's name. The refusals from the USPTO were "because the mark consists of or comprises matter which may falsely suggest a connection with the individual candidate's name."

Some examples of dead trademarks include "No Drama with Obama," "Hillary Clinton is Politically Incorrect" and "Bearack Obama."

Anyway it has to be born in min that trademarks "may consist of any signs capable of being represented graphically, particularly words, including personal names, designs, letters, numerals, the shape of goods or of their packaging, provided that such signs are capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one undertaking from those of other undertakings."