DENVER • To pay for college, Stanley Patterson started following Barack Obama.

The University of California at Berkeley student went on the campaign trail this summer selling T-shirts with a stylized print of Obama’s face emblazoned on the front. When Obama went to Texas, Patterson went to Texas. Same with Oregon, Iowa, Montana.

“I’ve been to places I never thought I’d see, but this is the main event right here. After this I’ll retire and go back to school.” How much will he make this summer off the “Obamania” that has excited Democrats to a level not seen in years.

“Way more than tuition, let’s put it that way,” he said.

Patterson was only one of scores of vendors hawking Obama hats, buttons, broaches, bottles and even Obama action figures on packed streets that often felt more like a fair than a political gathering.

Conventions have always been places for trinket sellers to make a buck, but Obama’s historic candidacy, iconic image, and appeal with hipster young people who like to express themselves through ironic T-shirts have pushed the product level to a near Obama-blitz.

The crowds on the street could pick up shirts that say “Obama is my homeboy” and “Barrack the house!” Jason Feinberg, of Brooklyn, had set up a cart selling plastic Obama “action figures we can believe in” for $15 bucks a piece. By 11 a.m. he said he had sold about 600.

“I brought 5,000. Maybe that was a little ambitious,” he said, “But he’s very popular.” Just then a woman interrupted him.

“I love this,” she said. “Do you have one that does a fist bump?” On almost every street corner between Denver’s Convention Center and the Pepsi Center, people sold buttons and T-shirts. Even the downtown Walgreens and Rite Aid had dedicated large areas at the front of their stores to DNC gear, feeding the Democrats’ seemingly insatiable appetite for all things Obama.

“I need a button for each theme,” said Kelley Ganges, from New Jersey, whose shirt was nearly covered. “The one with Barrack and his wife and kids shows family values, the Obama and Dr. King button that shows civil rights, the Barrack and Hillary button is for unity, and, of course, several buttons just to give away back home.

Some delegates went high-end. Heide Lasher was selling hand-made sparkling “Obama bling” brooches for $50.

“I have a love of rhinestones and a love of Obama, so I put the two together,” she said.Even at the relatively high price, she said she has sold more than she could imagine.

In a sea of Democrats, delegates seemed to have to go to extremes to stand out.

Kindra Muntz and her fellow delegate from Florida, Barbara Desmond were searching through the racks of a tourist T-shirt shop that had carted the standard Colorado Tees out, to make way for Obama knickknacks (Breath mints we can believe in). They wanted something that would make them stand out on the convention floor.

Florida’s delegation has a front row seat, so they hoped to catch the TV cameras’ eye. They picked out a few classic, red, white and blue Styrofoam convention hats.

“Is that going to be enough?” said Muntz.

She grabbed a handful of sequined red, white, and blue bows, as well. And a pair of blue, star-shaped glasses.

“That should definitely do it,” Desmond said.

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