England for Obama

…on television; while the YouTube video currently has 1,416,160 views. No: 1,416,161. No: 1,416,162.

But did it work? Well, Gallup polled people after the 30-minute advert aired - read their findings below. In short: Obama’s gone up, McCain’s gone down, but not by huge percentage points. So it may not have made a big difference - but in the words of Daily Kos: “It baked the cake”.

“The political landscape could be improving for Barack Obama in the waning days of the campaign. Gallup Poll Daily tracking from Oct. 28-30 shows him with an eight percentage point lead over John McCain among traditional likely voters — 51% to 43% — his largest margin to date using this historical Gallup Poll voter model.

Since Tuesday, McCain’s support among traditional likely voters has dropped by four points (from 47% to 43%), Obama’s has risen by two points (from 49% to 51%), and the percentage of undecided voters has increased from 4% to 6%.

Thursday night’s interviews are the first conducted entirely after Obama’s widely viewed 30-minute prime-time campaign ad, which ran on several television networks Wednesday evening. Obama held a substantial lead over McCain in last night’s polling, however no greater than what Gallup found on Wednesday.

Obama’s current 11-point lead over McCain among all registered voters — 52% to 41% — is up from an eight-point lead in yesterday’s report, and ties his highest advantage on this basis, last recorded 10 days ago.”

Here were the findings from Rasmussen:

Ad Make You More/Less Likely to Vote for Obama?

More Likely: 54%
Less Likely 24%
Among McCain Voters: 8% More Likely
Among Conservatives: 39% More Likely
Among Republicans: 21% More Likely
Among Men: 50% More likely
Among Women: 59% More Likely
Among 65+: 57% More Likely
Among Whites: 50% More Likely

Apparently, one in seven voters are still persuadable. Who are these people?!

Here’s what aired on prime time American TV last night. It’s very moving. In fact, it’s almost too much (I confess I’m sitting here with dried-up tears on my cheeks - goodness knows how I’m going to be on November 4th. In a puddle somewhere, probably):

After that video aired, they went live to Florida for the final two minutes of Obama’s speech at the rally in Fort Lauderdale. His words there were ones that Obama-followers like you and I have heard many times before, but it was stirring nonetheless (I’ll add the vid when it’s available to embed. In the meantime you can watch it here).

The review by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos:

“This was a very highly produced, technically incredibly competent half hour of television.

It was all designed to get voters comfortable with the idea of Barack Obama in the Oval Office, that he is embedded in the lives of average Americans, and knows exactly what they’re going through.

Obama even appeared in a facsimile of the White House Oval Office during the infomercial. Every single line during that 30 minutes was something that the campaign knows works and appeals to those undecided voters.

What you saw here was a highly competent, professional, virtuoso performance. The fact that they could go 28 minutes in and hit live to a campaign rally in Florida and right down to the final Obama Biden logo even showed a rising sun. One of the things the campaign knows is that the most optimistic presidential candidate always wins.”

I have to say, apart from the overwhelming sense of what a good man Obama is - and how desperately he is needed - it’s the medical stories in that video which get me the most. It’s always the medical stories. Being a Brit, growing up in a country where free healthcare is a right, I can’t even begin to think how it must feel to be so much in need of medical care, yet worrying about how you’re going to pay for it (or even making career and life decisions based on how to pay for it). I have seen this issue affect Americans I love, and it breaks my heart. If you were choosing one reason, and one reason alone, to vote for Barack Obama, I have to say this should be pretty high on the list.

Nice one, son… Ah. No. Back to the wrong type of football again.

Anyway: my name is Andrea Mann, and I approved approve of this latest TV ad from Obama. And I do believe it’s the first one ever to feature a certain Sarah Palin:

So, as you may recall, Barack Obama’s team have bought 30 minutes of airtime on The Shopping Channel prime time TV tonight.

Barack Obama: American Stories will air on CBS, NBC and Fox tonight.  And the New York Times has seen a one-minute preview:

“The trailer is heavy in strings, flags, presidential imagery…”

What? It’s the opening credits of The West Wing?

Oh, and Barack’s also on The Daily Show tonight. I do hope the American people aren’t getting sick of him. What with him about to become their president for the next eight years, an’ all.

What’s the word I’m looking for…?

Ah, that’s it: ‘Presidential’.