Obama's "The closing argument"-Infomercial

[Wangler]

At this point, I think it's probably a mistake. It points out his money advantage, and feeds into the dig that he's buying the campaign.

Yeah, people will be wondering why he didn't spread any of that wealth around.

 

[Puppycow]

Here it is:

 

[Puppycow]

5 minutes into it, I'm bored. It's too greeting-card sentimental for my tastes. Too slow-moving.

 

[R.Mackey]

I think they're simply attempting to drive the McCainiacs mad through sheer bombardment. This isn't likely to sway anyone at this stage, but it might irritate the other side into a grumpy, ill-considered reaction...

 

[Puppycow]

There's a great half-hour commercial for Obama every day on Comedy Central called The Daily Show.

It's much funner to watch than this weepy stuff.

 

[DavidJames]

I watched it...

The best parts were when they had this skit where you saw an Obama marionette being manipulated by Bill Ayers. In turn, other marionettes would dance up to Obama and embrace. Barrack would accept some money and then scribble something on what looked a replica of the Constitution. First was Karl Marx, followed by Yassar Arafat.

But the best scene was at the end. Obama put on ceremonial Muslim garb, raised his hands and whispered Allahu Akbar, turned and walked up to Lake Michigan and, are you ready, started walking on the water. I know crazy mixed religious messages, but damn, he's the Anti-Christ, what do you expect.

 

[Meadmaker]

There's a great half-hour commercial for Obama every day on Comedy Central called The Daily Show.

It's much funner to watch than this weepy stuff.

For those who missed it, he was on the Daily Show tonight. I think that takes guts. Ok, sure, it's a friendly audience, but even at that, there were plenty of opportunities for gaffes. It's not like he really needed to sway Jon Stewart's audience.

 

[David Wong]

I think they're simply attempting to drive the McCainiacs mad through sheer bombardment. This isn't likely to sway anyone at this stage, but it might irritate the other side into a grumpy, ill-considered reaction...

I read somewhere that a big chunk of the remaining undecideds and last-minute deciders are women, I guess mostly single women (who knows why).

That's why this one focused so much on insurance and benefits and security, it was Obama talking to that last 1 or 2% of anxious women. So it was a pretty specific plan they had there, because apparently polling shows they don't read or watch much about the campaign until the final week.

I don't blame them.

 

[rdaneel]

I watched it...

The best parts were when they had this skit where you saw an Obama marionette being manipulated by Bill Ayers. In turn, other marionettes would dance up to Obama and embrace. Barrack would accept some money and then scribble something on what looked a replica of the Constitution. First was Karl Marx, followed by Yassar Arafat.

But the best scene was at the end. Obama put on ceremonial Muslim garb, raised his hands and whispered Allahu Akbar, turned and walked up to Lake Michigan and, are you ready, started walking on the water. I know crazy mixed religious messages, but damn, he's the Anti-Christ, what do you expect.

I think you forgot to take off your Fox Tinted Glasses.

 

[MattusMaximus]

I'm watching it now (5 minutes in) and kind of like it. It is a bit slow-moving, but I sense it is building up to something.

 

[Cain]

I stopped 12 seconds in. I don't need to see golden fields with self-important music. Hallmark commercial? This looks like a film by Kevin Costner.

Still, I think this is a smart move in terms of winning votes. I also like how Obama is "running up the score" rather than trying to get 50% +1, all that "political capital" earned by Bush to "reform" Social Security, an issue he did not emphasize in his campaign of fear. Obama's theme of change draws heavily upon unification, bringing the country together and the bigger he wins, the easier it is to govern effectively.

 

[MattusMaximus]

All good points, Cain. Obama is one smart cookie.

 

[gdnp]

I stopped 12 seconds in. I don't need to see golden fields with self-important music. Hallmark commercial? This looks like a film by Kevin Costner.

"Field of Dreams" or "Waterworld?"

 

[MattusMaximus]

Whoa, in the 30-minutes it took for me to watch the entire video, the number of viewings went from 70,000 to 240,000!!!

 

[BenBurch]

Whoa, in the 30-minutes it took for me to watch the entire video, the number of viewings went from 70,000 to 240,000!!!

If it was not worthwhile in terms of raw votes, and I doubt it was, it was worthwhile as the first communication of the new President of The United States to his constituents.

 

[MattusMaximus]

Not quite yet, Ben. But give it... just... one... more... week.

 

[rdaneel]

I stopped 12 seconds in. I don't need to see golden fields with self-important music. Hallmark commercial? This looks like a film by Kevin Costner.

I did watch the whole thing, but I do agree that the golden fields were over the top. Heck, I'm an Obama fanboy and some of it made my eyes roll. I much preferred the parts where he simply stated what his plans were.

 

[yodaluver28]

The tone was absolutely perfect for it's purposes. The people who hate or fear Obama and will not vote for him under any circumstances either weren't gonna watch or wouldn't hear him out on anything anyway, that's not who this was for though.



This was aimed at three audiences:

1) This was an excellent vehicle to keep his long-since decided supporters energized as the campaign winds down. These final days are the most important and there must not be any let up or overconfidence.

2) The truly undecideds who try to vote pragmatically for the candidate that seems most likely to run things properly and effectively in the areas that affect them most. These voters don't generally vote based on any particular political ideology one way or another. They're typically middle and lower-middle class blue-collar workers who might lean Democratic on many issues but sometimes vote Republican due to military and foreign policy concerns. Obama covered many of these issues solidly, if briefly, in the ad and encouraged people to learn more online.

It was also important for the Obama campaign that these voters see people with a great deal of experience in all these issues discuss Obama's qualifications, temperment, and ability to compromise while at the same time inserting biographical information to offset whatever residue there might be still floating around from the assinine "He's really a Muslim", "He's really an Arab", "He's not even a US citizen", and "He's a pinko commie" rumors that have been circulating for more than a year and a half now.


I think it succeeded on both fronts and I think the number of people who'll be mad at him simply for interrupting their shows are gonna be few and far between. Anyone who didn't want to watch it didn't have to. It did air on three of the four major networks but Fox aired it before their World Series Game, they would've just put a pre-game show on if he hadn't bought the ad time so no big loss there. NBC usually shows the new Knight Rider in that slot and it's not doing great. CBS shows the New Adventures of Old Christine at 8PM but aired it at 8:30 tonight, so nobody had to miss it and Pushing Daisies aired as usual on ABC. ESPN, the Food Network, Nick, Discovery, and over a hundred other channels showed their regular programming.

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

Yeah, people will be wondering why he didn't spread any of that wealth around.

You mean the people who voluntarily donated money to the Obama for president campaign will be wondering why he didn't give the money to someone else rather than spend it on the Obama for president campaign?

Really?

 

[BenBurch]

Not quite yet, Ben. But give it... just... one... more... week.

6 days and counting.