Obama Infomercial

The big presidential campaign news today seems to be the 30 minute infomercial that Barack Obama is airing tonight at 8pmET. The New York Times reports that Obama will, "use his prime-time half-hour infomercial on Wednesday night to make what is effectively a closing argument to a national audience of millions. At times he will speak directly into the camera about his 20-month campaign, at others he will highlight everyday voters, their everyday troubles, and his plans to address them." Everyone seems to have something to say about the television event. Even Elisabeth Hasselbeck chimed in regarding the one million dollar pricetag for the infomercial: “That to me is, in terms of the economy is - that is repulsive.”

I say, whatever it takes for the Obama/Biden ticket to get elected - do it! It is probably the term "infomercial" that brings with it a negative conotation. Infomercials are what you watch at 2am, or when nothing else is on, or when you can't locate the remote. They are not known for their high caliber of entertainment (although I have watched the one for the Magic Bullet individual blender at least 20 times). The one thing that I have learned over the past two years or so, is that whatever Obama and his team do, particularly in terms of the media, is a class act. Just look at his acceptance speech back in August (see video below). How can you lose with two beautiful families, fireworks, and music from "Remember the Titans." That is the first time that I have cried while watching a convention speech.



Now saying that, I could not resist from locating some examples of informercials that don't live up to this Obama Campaign level of excellence. The videos below are some examples of perhaps what Obama should not do. Finally, if Ron Popeil shows up at any time tonight during the campaign's television event, I am turning it off (unless he brings with him a Veg-O-Matic).