A ‘verbal’ debate of sorts

A Laguna Beach Book Store window display on South Coast Highway was intended to draw in customers, not make a political statement.

The display features life-size cut-outs of presidential candidates Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama and books by or about them.

“We are not taking a position, it just seemed like the right time to showcase the books with all the political activity going on,” said Danielle Bauter, who coordinates events and marketing at the store.

However, political tricksters apparently see the display as an opportunity to promote their own agendas.

“A couple of times, customers have slipped in anti-Obama books,” Bauter said.

Books have been added to the display — one of Mitt Romney’s found its way into the window — or rearranged

“Goodnight Bush,” a parody of the children’s classic, “Goodnight Moon,” simply disappears.

“We have had to reorder it several times,” Bauter said.

However, the book flies off the shelf because of popularity, not skullduggery.

Some customers complain the display favors McCain, others say it is partial to Obama.

“When I set up the window, I tried to make sure it was even,” Bauter said. “But as the books are sold, the display cannot always be equal — it depends on the stock.”

One customer just wanted to have pictures taken of her children in front of the Obama cutout to use in the kids’ campaigns for school offices. The store was happy to oblige.

“It’s good to see that people are engaged,” Bauter said.