Some Walgreens pull Obama, McCain dolls

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Election-year novelty dolls of Barack Obama, John McCain and Hillary Clinton have been removed from the shelves of some Walgreens drugstores nationwide after customer complaints about the battery-operated figures.

The 13.5-inch-tall dolls moved as they sang parodies and recited messages that were not approved by the presidential candidates.

A company spokeswoman says the dolls were not removed from store shelves because of customer complaints but because some stores felt they violated Walgreen Co.'s policy against selling items that endorse political candidates.

Tiffany Bruce, spokeswoman for Deerfield-based Walgreen Co., said the dolls are still available at select stores.

"I can tell you that in the Hyde Park area, the Barack Obama doll has been very popular," she said.

Earlier, Bruce told The Grand Rapids Press for a story published Friday that some customers were offended by what the dolls said or did.

The Clinton figure referred to itself as a "broad" in one song parody.

The Obama doll was sold in a box that proclaimed, "The senator from Illinois gets down and funky!"The retailer is based in Deerfield, Ill.