Shepard Fairey designed a shirt for Sanders that shows a winged figure surrounded by fire lifting up the American emblem. | Getty Obama 'HOPE' poster designer backs Sanders

President Barack Obama has yet to officially endorse a candidate in the Democratic primary, but a cog in his historic 2008 campaign is feeling the Bern.

Shepard Fairey, who designed Obama’s famous “Hope” poster, is backing Bernie Sanders for president.


“I’m supporting Bernie Sanders because I want to push principles, not personalities,” Fairey says in a video posted by Sanders’ campaign. “I’m tired of portraits. I want to make images about people of substance, about the issues they care about.”

Fairey designed a shirt for Sanders that shows a winged figure surrounded by fire lifting up the American emblem. It calls Sanders’ campaign “A political revolution” and “A future to believe in.”

“Bernie Sanders is the real deal and I feel it’s important for me to voice my support for his bid for President,” Fairey wrote in the product details section of the shirt in the online store for Sanders apparel and products. “I think he’s the candidate who will look out for the interest of average Americans and the candidate who to me embodies the principles of justice, equality, liberty, and access to the American Dream. Bernie needs help from people like you and me and I think he’ll look out for the needs of people like you and me.”

Hillary Clinton’s campaign accused Sanders, who has been critical of Obama as Clinton has continued to align herself with the president, of doing a “poor man’s imitation” of Obama’s ’08 campaign.

“Diss Obama by day, do poor man’s imitation of 2008 campaign by night,” Clinton campaign press secretary Brian Fallon tweeted.

Sanders’ campaign notes that the $30 shirt is union-made and printed in the U.S.

In an interview last year with Esquire magazine, Fairey said that Obama was “not even close” to having lived up to his expectations.

“I mean, drones and domestic spying are the last things I would have thought [he’d support],” Fairey said.