Crank gets in the T-shirt business

Crank holds up his "Obama bin Biden" shirt at the Colorado RNC delegation breakfast at the Four Points Sheraton in MinneapolisMINNEAPOLIS--The day after Barack Obama picked U.S. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) as his running mate, former 5th Congressional District Republican candidate Jeff Crank decided to go into the t-shirt business.

The Colorado Springs businessman said he came up with the phrase "Osama bin Biden" to show how dangerous the Democratic presidential ticket would be to American national security.

Crank helped design a logo -- the Obama campaign's stylized "O" with a mushroom cloud in the middle -- and coordinated t-shirt sales.

So far, the idea's been very popular in Minneapolis, said Crank, who's visiting the Republican National Convention as a guest.

RNC delegate Monica Owens, Gov. Bill Owens' daughter, has been just one of several to show interest in the shirt, Crank said. His lawyer has already had to send cease-and-desist letters to four or five Web sites selling the shirt without permission, Crank said.

The shirt is available for purchase online at obamabinbidentshirt.com.

CORRECTION SEPT. 1, 1:21 P.M.: The shirt may be purchased at obamabinbidentshirt.com, not osamabinbidentshirt.com as previously stated.