Today’s Video: Obama’s infomercial

Five quick thoughts on tonight’s 30-minute commercial sponsored by Barack Obama’s presidential campaign:

1. Note the tone of the biographical profiles: tranquil guitar strings, warm colors, a pastoral feeling. Furthermore, the profiles cut across race and emphasized social issues.
2. The segment on Obama talking with “normal people” on the Iraq war was reminiscent of George McGovern’s ads in his 1972 presidential run. (See “Change”, for instance).
3. The foreign policy segment can be boiled down to two words: Middle East. (The rest of the world is chopped liver, perhaps?)
4. The portion where he segued from the tragic death of his mom to a stump speech on health care appeared creepy. Conversely, his brief shout-out on immigration was a positive note since the topic seems to be taboo to both Obama and John McCain.
5. All-in-all, the ad will provide much discussion at the water cooler as well as on the 24-hour news networks. More than the ad’s content it will be the attention it receives which will decide its success.
   

What did you think of the ad? See for yourself. (Video link via Obama's campaign website).

Sources- Living Room Candidate, YouTube, barackobama.com, New York Times