By now we’re pretty used to companies putting out merchandise that worships President Obama and/or his family. But usually the companies will be upfront about their actions. Ty Inc., the maker of the popular Beany Baby toy, is a different case. The company has released two African-American girl dolls named “Sweet Sasha” and “Marvelous Malia”. Sound familiar? It insists that it’s purely coincidence.

CHICAGO (AP) – The company that made Beanie Babies a top toy craze is hoping for another winner with dolls named “Sweet Sasha” and “Marvelous Malia.”
Now where have we heard those names before?

Ty Inc. has released the 12-inch plush dolls as part of the company’s “TyGirlz Collection,” introduced in 2007. The Sasha doll has pigtails and wears a white and pink dress with hearts. The Malia doll has a side ponytail and a long-sleeve shirt with capri pants.

The Oak Brook-based company chose the dolls’ names because “they are beautiful names,” not because of any resemblance to President Obama’s daughters, said spokeswoman Tania Lundeen.

“There’s nothing on the dolls that refers to the Obama girls,” Lundeen said. “It would not be fair to say they are exact replications of these girls. They are not.”

And anyone with an IQ in the single digits will buy that excuse. Everyone else? Not so much. You’re a company releasing two dolls of little African-American girls that just happen to have the same out-of-the-ordinary names as those of the Messiah’s daughters. And the excuse is that it’s purely coincidence. Uh huh.