Obama ad leaves viewers with mixed feelings

Some people get 15 minutes of fame. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama… Some people get 15 minutes of fame. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama purchased, for approximately $4 million, an additional 30 minutes of it when he bought ad space on major news networks, including CBS, NBC and Fox. The ad left viewers with mixed feelings. Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, who accepted public financing and therefore has more limits on how he can spend his money, denounced Obama’s ad. McCain said at a Florida rally on Wednesday that he believed Obama was acting as if he had already won the presidency. He added that he ‘prefers to let voters weigh in before presuming the outcome.’ He added, ‘The sale’s job is always better than the product.’ However, David DeJong, Pitt’s economics department chair, thought Obama’s ad, which caused Major League Baseball to move the already postponed game five in the World Series back 15 minutes, was perfectly acceptable. DeJong said that the only problem he sees is that the advertisement could cause voter fatigue. ‘But then again,’ he said, ‘if you didn’t want to watch it, you didn’t have to.’ Obama’s 30-minute infomercial highlighted the stories of various American families. Graduate student and Pitt professor Helen Gerhardt said this message promoted unity. ‘Seeing the struggling families made me want to be a better person,’ said Gerhardt. ‘It really showed that we all need to come together as a country and help one another.’ Obama also attempted to appeal to voters’ wallets. The Democratic candidate said one of his goals was to encourage American manufacturers to produce fuel-efficient cars. He added that he would give Americans tax breaks on these cars, making it easier for them to afford them. DeJong said he thought it was a wise idea to emphasize these policies, especially given the current state of the economy. ‘I think the idea of producing fuel-efficient cars really kills two birds with one stone for Obama,’ said DeJong. ‘Giving tax breaks to domestically produced cars will help compete with foreign companies, and it addresses the concern with American jobs being shipped overseas.’ Obama also discussed his plans to give tax breaks to families making less than $200,000 a year, roughly 95 percent of the American population. Obama said this would allow him to produce ‘an economy that honors the dignity of work.’ Obama also elaborated on his foreign policy, saying, ‘One of the biggest savings we can make is to change spending in Iraq.’ DeJong said this was an effective statement because it showed viewers that ‘Obama is asking himself, ‘How am I going to pay for all of these projects?’ Obama also emphasized political ethics. ‘I am reminded every single day that I am not a perfect man. And I will not be a perfect president,’ said Obama. ‘But I can promise you I will always tell you what I think and where I stand.’