My point was simply that the MLK trademark question was the only one I was aware of from the public/political sphere. He has a national holiday in his honor, and yet his family is trying to profit from and restrict the use of his image, etc..
Not directly analogous to Palin’s situation, but the closest known case I was aware of.
My main point in all this drawn out conversation was that a presidential candidate or a sitting president would probably gain little or nothing by having their name and image trademarked. They are such public figures that I’d be interested in someone citing statutes that describe what benefits they’d have by being trademarked while acting as a candidate or as president.
There are also laws and traditions that restrict what sitting presidents can do. After they’re out of office it might have some benefit, but I even wonder about that. They are then historical figures.
And would a trademark be granted for the name and image of a sitting or former president?