Arnold For President? Topps Thinks So.

Ysponder

Arnold For President? Topps Thinks So.
Jun 2 2008

Just because there still are more than five months remaining in the 2008 presidential campaign doesn't mean it's too early to think ahead to 2012.

At least, Topps doesn't think so.

The company has suprised more than a few collectors of 2008 Topps Series 2--but not many more--with a pair of cards suggesting a pair of candidates for the next election cycle: California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and former vice-president Al Gore.

"In Series 1, we commemorated the 2008 Presidential Candidates," says Topps spokesman Clay Luraschi. "We then thought it would be fun to add to the popular insert in Series 2."

Luraschi says it wasn't difficult to pick a pair of potentials with some early buzz.

"There were actually rumors going around a few months ago that Gore might throw his hat in to the arena late in the game," he says. "At this point in time, it will probably not happen. And there has been much debate over whether or not Arnold could eventually run one day if the constitution was amended. We thought we would add to the debate by creating a 'what if?' card."

Luraschi also confirmed the presence of four additional short prints in Topps Series 2.
*Fukudome / Japan
*Alexei Ramirez/Cuba
*Yasuhiko Yabuta/Japan
*Johan Santana pitches no-no / card # 661

While admitting the cards are SPs, Luraschi was coy about actual production runs.

"We are not releasing quantities, but I will say that all of these cards are extremely short printed," he says