Obama’s 30-minute ad/infomercial

Lots of money spent for lots and lots of time on the major networks tonight.  Here’s Obama’s closing argument:

Social networking as campaign advertising

The McCain campaign is giving away McCain buttons on Facebook:

New Gift: McCain Button

“Show support for your candidate with our limited edition campaign buttons. Give them to your friends and go vote on 11/4.”

(Or is Facebook giving them away and I’ve just missed the Obama one?)
Just one (cute) example of how social networking sites have changed [...]

Obama’s big ad buy

Obama will buy 1/2-hour ads in primetime on major networks 6 days before the election.  This alone will make opting out of the federal campaign finance system worth it.

Hail Mary Pass #4

McCain’s always been better as the underdog, so this new strategy to get tough on Obama could work for him.  If anyone can pull it off it’s probably him.  But after the last debate a lot of people noted that Obama looked happy and optimistic while McCain just looked grumpy.  Americans don’t vote for grumpy–or [...]

5 Friends

Obama’s new ad

Here’s another step forward:  A two-minute(!) ad where Obama speaks directly to the camera about why we should vote for him, without a single reference to McCain.  A little bit risky, but he clearly knows what he’s doing.

Two minutes of ad time won’t come cheap either, but wouldn’t it be amazing [...]

The strategy going forward

The Obama campaign sent out a new video today to supporters, explaining how they plan to win this election.  The bottom line? Victory is totally possible, but it won’t come cheap.  (Conveniently, the video plays right next to an online contribution form.)  It’s an interesting peek into what those campaign strategists do all day.

Lobbyists in the White House

I don’t happen to think that lobbyists are as evil (or unnecessary) as most Americans seem to think they are.  But I do recognize that bashing them makes for good campaign ads!

But he hasn’t spoken with Keating since!

John McCain has a new ad out touting the “experience” he and Sarah Palin have that will help get us out of the giant–and rapidly growing–economic and financial mess we’re in.  But he doesn’t actually say what that experience includes, and he’s certainly never claimed to be an expert on the economy.  Joe Klein fills [...]

A look back: The ads of yesteryear

This site could easily consume several hours:  Watch campaign ads from all elections since 1952.