Trying to Buy a Sarah Palin Autographed Xbox Just Got a Little Harder

David Morrill learned three important lessons when trying to sell his Palin-signed Xbox 360 on eBay this year. First, nobody is willing to pay $1 million for a video game system (no matter who signed it). Second, never trust an online auction house started by a Canadian. Third, just because a politician believes (and is probably able to spell) “free market,” doesn’t mean she’s cool with being the victim of its inner workings.

According to Kotaku.com, when Morrill reposted the Sarah Palin-signed Xbox 360 online (with a $975,000 price reduction), eBay’s legal team met it with some “mild concerns.”

“Listings or items that contain a celebrity's name, likeness, or signature may infringe his/her right of publicity. This right is generally defined as an individual's right to control and profit from the commercial use of his/her identity, and is not limited to only celebrities,” they explained.

Naturally, Morrill took these suggestions and reposted the item and described it as an “XBOX 360 with scribbles" which was "defaced at a picnic of no significance," where "this person grabbed my most prized possession which I just happened to have with me for no special reason, my Xbox 360, and started scribbling on it!"

It gets better. Seemingly trying to worm around eBay's policies he added, "Why should you own this item before November 2012? As we all know, November is “National Fun with Fondue” month and I will just be too busy dipping things into melted cheese to continue this auction at that point (November 2011 not included)."

The price is still $25,000.

Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images News/Getty Images