WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IN THE 50’S THAT THIS HARMLESS LITTLE TOY WOULD BE THE LETHAL WEAPON TO DO IN A UNITED STATES PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE?

It was another of many gaffs but this one came from his campaign manager. DELICIOUS!

In the late 1950's, a man by the name of Arthur Granjean invented something he called ``L'Ecran Magique", the magic screen, in his garage.  In 1959, he took his drawing toy to the International Toy Fair in Nuremburg, Germany.  The Ohio Art Company saw it but had no interest in the toy.  When Ohio Art saw the toy a second time, they decided to take a chance on the product.  The L'Ecran Magique was soon renamed the Etch A Sketch® and became the most popular drawing toy in the business. In the 1960, Ohio Art used television to advertise the Etch A Sketch®.  The response was so incredible that the company decided to continue manufacturing them until noon Christmas Eve 1960.  The Etch A Sketches® were then immediately shipped to the West Coast so people in California could buy Etch A Sketch® on Christmas Eve and have them for Christmas.

Ironically, the plant located in Ohio was shut down by Bain Capital of Mitt Romney notoriety and they are now being manufactured in China by workers making .24cents per hour.

By the way, what this gentleman said was that Mitt was like the little toy which if you shook it you could start all over again for the national Presidential elections. 

PHOTO SOURCE: http://www.myfashionlife.com/archives/2008/10/12/helpless-romantic-is-affordable-kitsch-jewellery-heaven/

http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/etchsketch.htm