Obama's Message Hits Primetime
Candidates Make Final Pushes; Obama Readies for Wednesday's 30-Minute TV Spot
By KATE BARRETT
Oct. 29, 2008

Six days before Election Day, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will dominate primetime television tonight in one of his final moves to win the White House.

Obama is reaching out to a sweeping audience less than a week before decision day with a half-hour special scheduled to air tonight at 8 p.m. on most major television networks. NBC, CBS and Fox will air the program. ABC will not air Obama's message, instead broadcasting "Pushing Daisies" in its normal time slot.

Just what Obama will say, how highly produced and polished the program will be, and most of all, how effective his remarks will be in winning over undecided voters remains to be seen. Still, some said the more lengthy forum could be a welcome departure from short, stinging attack ads, back-and-forth debates, and political rallies.

"This is great, I would like to see a half hour without cheering crowds," said Robert Thompson, professor at Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications. "The thing I don't like about it is, I'd also like to see John McCain give us a half hour."

But not everyone agrees that Obama's push on television is a good thing.

On Monday night, Michelle Obama jokingly told Jay Leno that her daughter, Malia, was among those who objected.

"She said, 'Are you gonna interrupt my TV?'" Michelle Obama said.

Told her father would not be gracing Disney and Nickelodeon, Malia said, "Oh, good," and walked away, Michelle Obama told Leno.

Campaign Advertising Money

McCain is not slated to make a similar final plug, and Obama has more money at his disposal to spend it appealing to primetime masses. To air Obama's 30-minute message, his campaign is reportedly spending about $1 million per network.