So here’s a Barbie flashback Mattel won't like as much: It's the time Barbie’s dog and cat were covered in overly-leaded paint, triggering a recall, a China scare, and eventually an infamous episode of big business-big government collusion in which Mattel used its insider position to try and crush competitors.The story started in “The Year of the Recall”: 2007. Mattel recalled a million toys that were made in China, including various Barbie accessories.
The writer warned, “recent medical evidence shows even trace amount of lead — at amounts now considered acceptable by the CDC — can damage a child’s IQ.” This fit into Obama’s crafted self-image as the guy who would stand up to big business and use big government to protect the little guy. The next year, Obama and other congressional Democrats acted, but they hardly stuck it to Mattel.
You see, Mattel and Hasbro, the two largest toymakers in the U.S., supported this bill, which passed in August 2008.