Obama should just remind the viewers, "If I weren't hear, you'd be listening to Joe Buck." He'd wrap up the election right there.

Ms. Hasselbeck is the conservative on the daytime trainwreck, er, television show The View. Highlight clips often show Joy Behar or Whoopi Goldberg bringing her to tears.

Gee, Republicans have their own news channel 24x7, and they complain about a 1/2 hour for Obama?

I should add, Ms. Hasselbeck has never struck me as being the brightest penny in the jar.

FYI, Elizabeth Hasselbeck was referenced on Countdown two days ago -- she's the close Palin advisor who's telling Palin to get more "mavericky".

Not only did Perot do a few of these, as the post notes, but I seem to remember that Ronald Reagan did at least one of these long campaign broadcasts. Does anyone else remember this?

"No one will delay the World Series with an infomercial when I'm president," McCain said yesterday in Pennsylvania.

Yeah, and what would he do about it? Forbid the networks to determine who buys their own ad time? What a tool.

Obama should just remind the viewers, "If I weren't hear, you'd be listening to Joe Buck." He'd wrap up the election right there.

My god, yes.

And how do these folks feel about President Bush using taxpayer funds in 2004 to, in effect, campaign for re-election, while claiming that he was just conducting his duties as President?

It's the marketplace, stupid

Please tell me you made this McCain lie up:
"No one will delay the World Series with an infomercial when I'm president."

Or doesn't Johnny believe in capitalism?

I have been listening to gramps on the radio and sans video he sounds more and more like an old "get off my lawn " codger . They have nothing left, Nothing

And how do these folks feel about President Bush using taxpayer funds in 2004 - josef

Change "in 2004" to "for four long years" and it's a good question.

"Far-right pundit Willie Geist"??? Willie Geist is a humorist who has four books of comic essays published. He was JOKING! Lighten up!

"Not only did Perot do a few of these, as the post notes, but I seem to remember that Ronald Reagan did at least one of these long campaign broadcasts. Does anyone else remember this?"
Posted by: Alex R on October 29, 2008 at 8:48 AM

I do. In fact, it seems to me that every presidential candidate I can remember, at least through 1992, has done this. I don't recall if the last two did it. Still, it's nothing new and all this faux outrage is just bizarre.

It was once standard procedure for presidential campaigns to buy 30-minute chunks of network time for (commercial-free) infomercials. I distinctly remember Nixon, Humphrey, and Wallace speaking on (I think) the Monday night before election day in 1968. Lyndon Larouche did so regularly in the 70s (until he went to prison). I can't remember when the practice stopped.
Do any of these conservative critics know their political history?

McCain and crew are simply jealous that Obama has something to say. They have to be tired of rotating those same three sound bites over and over again.

...adding that the network planned to trim the pre-game commentary...

The faux outrage drives ratings. Keep it up boys, keep it up.

My own guess is this 1/2 infomercial will not do that well. A lot of folks will watch Pushing Daisies.

Obama should just remind the viewers, "If I weren't here, you'd be listening to Joe Buck." He'd wrap up the election right there.

Ha!

On the one hand, I wonder if Obama truly needs to do this to close the deal (as opposed to shorter but more frequent clips); on the other hand, people are contributing vast sums to get him elected, and it's foolish not to use the money that's been provided for that purpose. I notice he's taking some shots again for breaking his use of public funding vow; not a big deal if you're an Obama supporter, but it is something else they'll be throwing at him.

Hasselbeck? She's a former Survivor contestant.

Which is why we should all pay very close attention to her political views.

half an hour is a long time on tv
I doubt mccain would be able to fill it
but it would be funny to see him try

McCain's camp: "But, but, but... it's not fair!"
Waaaahhhh.....
I tell you, how much more absolutely PATHETIC can the republicans be?

Their ONLY strategy left is to spread lies about Obama and disrupt voter turnout. That's it.

Would anyone want a party running anything in government that has resorted to name calling and bullying as their last ditch attempt to hold on to power?

I have difficulty seeing Willie Geist as "far right wing pundit." Actually, the comment for me calls into question much of what Steve writes as being too knee-jerk and too little informed. Because I've been enjoying his commentary, I'm more than a little disappointed. Check out this blog on Geist: http://michaelvocino.blogspot.com/2008/01/willie-geist-has-bloomed.html . From looking at the writer's blog roll, I doubt very much he admires the right wing much. Since the rest of this post fits well, I regret the comment about Geist. - Ted

Lets just put it this way to Mr. Greist and Ms. Hasselbeck: The McCain campaign has different priorities than the Obama campaign. With the money it raised from its supporters for the presidential campaign the Republican National Committee and McCain decided to spend over $150,00 dollars for Sarah Palin's wardrobe for expensive designer clothing purchased from the the most expensive retail stores in the country. In addition the McCain/Palin campaign spent over $22,000 in two weeks alone for Palin's hairdresser (whats that work out for the whole campaign? about $80,000!). Plus another $10,000 for Palin's makeup--for only a couple of weeks. This all adds well over $300,000, minimum for the campaign season.

By contrast, the Obama campaign is spending its donor's money on a campaign "infomercial" outlining its proposals and what its candidate sees as the most important problems the country and its people face.

Isn't this just a question of each campaign's spending priorities and their taking responsibility for their decisions on how to spend supporter's money?

(By the way, I don't know who Hasselbeck is or why her political opinions are significant, but her complaint about Obama's ad was Mark Halperin's lead story late yesterday.)

From wiki:

"In 2001, she was cast in Survivor: The Australian Outback, and was originally a member of the Kucha tribe. She was the last remaining member of that tribe in the game before being voted off on Day 39 and finishing fourth overall. As her luxury item, she brought a self-made immunity headdress. At the end of the game, she was the most popular Survivor of the season among the fans, rating a 9.3 out of 10 in the online approval poll. Producers wanted her to return for the Survivor: All-Stars edition, but she was unable to attend because she was starting her tenure at The View at the time.

Following her stint on Survivor, Hasselbeck began a television career. In 2001, she was a judge at the Miss Teen USA Pageant,[5] and became host of the Style Network's The Look for Less from 2002 to 2003 where she helped find stylish clothes for bargain prices. Although Hasselbeck previously saw herself as a "behind the scenes" kind of person and not interested in career television, or playing pundit, her agent was very eager to showcase her competitive client and she auditioned for The View.[11]"

:::eyeroll:::

Lets just put it this way to Mr. Greist and Ms. Hasselbeck: The McCain campaign has different priorities than the Obama campaign. With the money it raised from its supporters for the presidential campaign the Republican National Committee and McCain decided to spend over $150,00 dollars for Sarah Palin's wardrobe for expensive designer clothing purchased from the the most expensive retail stores in the country. In addition the McCain/Palin campaign spent over $22,000 in two weeks alone for Palin's hairdresser (whats that work out for the whole campaign? about $80,000!). Plus another $10,000 for Palin's makeup--for only a couple of weeks. This all adds well over $300,000, minimum for the campaign season.

By contrast, the Obama campaign is spending its donor's money on a campaign "infomercial" outlining its proposals and what its candidate sees as the most important problems the country and its people face.

Isn't this just a question of each campaign's spending priorities and their taking responsibility for their decisions on how to spend supporter's money?

Campbell Brown was throwing out GOP talking points on "breaking his pledge and rolling in dough" on her little bit of Recht und Freiheit on CNN. I further note that CNN won't let us comment negatively on her as the "unbiased alternative." She and Hasselbeck are to be eschewed and ignored henceforth. The narrative they are pushing is that voter suppression is good, policy explanations are bad. Sounds like a queer take on "Animal Farm."

The right-wing pundits are angry that Obama would try hard to get elected. The GOP was worried about limiting free speech (i.e. campaign donations) in 2004, remember? The Hasselbecks/Browns are in the tank for Sherwood Forest Gump (who robs from the poor to give to the rich).

It's already facing pushback from conservatives who think ...

OK, now THAT's funny!
.

Highlight clips often show Joy Behar or Whoopi Goldberg bringing her to tears.

Hasselbeck spent her whole life training to be a penis-attachment, and now she wonders why people laugh at her opinions.
.

I seem to remember that Bill Clinton had a long ad on the night before the election in '92 that ended with the theme of the movie "The Natural" playing in the background. When I watched it I started to realize that we were going to actualy win it.

"Elisabeth Hasselbeck called the Obama ad "repulsive." (By the way, I don't know who Hasselbeck is or why her political opinions are significant"

She was on Survivor where she ate bugs and her hair fell out. As far as I know that's the extent of her "accomplishments."

You know, I'm not so sure about this now--the more McCain himself is on TV the worse he does, so why is Obama preempting that?

On the other hand, Tim McCarver on my TV for fewer minutes? I'm voting for the guy that made that possible.

This is not just the wrap up of the campaign, it's the start of governance if it's done right. I am hoping for the statement of goals and objectives for the Obama Administration, a counter-point to the Bush Administration's fumbling along while our economy crumbles and the wars get worse. Obama has the resources to buy himself a bully pulpit. If he uses it well, it's the beginning of a new beginning.

Willie Geist is a far right pundit? Seriously? I thought he was a comedian.

"You know, I'm not so sure about this now--the more McCain himself is on TV the worse he does, so why is Obama preempting that?"

I'm with M31. If I were Obama, I'd strongly consider buying McCain 30 minutes of air time. He and his "I couldn't be happier with my decision" VP pick are a train wreck whenever they get on the TeeVee.

as long as he doesn't get on the podium and say "Excuse me while I whip this out." all will be okay.

I remember Michael Dukakis even had some sort of longer ad a day or two before the election in 1988--if McCain can't do one, that says a lot, and it's not good for McCain.

Do any of these conservative critics know their political history?

Ha! :D Funniest thing I've read all week.

30 minute informercials always feature a slick salesman trying to sell you something you don't need, wont't work as described, cost you way more than it is worth, and only 10% of what they say is the truth. Sounds like BO is in the correct venue

Actually, it's Jeannie Zelasko and her inane baseball 'commentary' who is being pre-empted, and that can be considered one of the first blessings Obama will bring to us.

But it also finally counteracts the one advantage Palin did bring to the Republicans. We forget that naming her totally stole the headlines from Obama's great speech in Denver. Had McCain named someone else, it would have been the big news story of the week, instead, it disappeared from view as everyone was writing about Palin.

(In fact, this is why I think Palin didn't hurt McCain as much as people think. She did give him a boost, and blocked the boost the speech would have given Obama. In the long run she was a disaster, but anyone else would have started his slide much earlier, and he would have wound up about where he is now, just by a different route.)

One of the first political ads I remember was Richard Nixon's 30 minute ad that "preempted" the pre-game show on Monday Night Football -- I think the week or even the night before the 1972 election. It started with an interview of Henry Kissinger, but then my dad turned the tv off in disgust so I didn't see the rest of it.

Does anybody else remember that?

What those comments by Repubs highlight is their firm view that they are the only legitimate leaders of the nation. They do not think they are one of two parties that have to compete, they think they are America. Remember all the noise about how Obama was not being "respectful" to their candidates? Their outrage that Obama would raise more money than they?

Hasselbeck is a no-body who used to be on "The Survivor" reality show and after getting voted off the island apparently decided she'll never get voted off any island--least off all the Religious Right one--ever again.

Elizabeth Hasselbeck is a talent-less right to life (or as I say it "Anti-choice and voice of women) extremist who aggressively rattles off her talking points in Rush Limbaugh or O'Reilly well rehearsed fashion. She's Palin's new side-kick and I wouldn't be surprised if she continues to work with her in some capacity in the future. They're a lot alike.

It's appalling "The View" has allowed her to repeatedly dominate the conversation this election year.

The show was much better when Rosie O'Donnel was on, as she didn't take any crap from Elizabeth and she made very cogent points. (I think they each made each other a bit teary at one point).

Whoppi Goldberg (Rosie's replacement) is well meaning, but she rambles on and loses track of her point. She tries WAY TOO hard to be nice and neutral and ends up saying a whole lot of nothing as a result.

Joy Behar is the most intelligent, liberal and cogent of the group and tries to get her points in, but I've noticed that both Hasselbeck AND Whoopi drown her out far too often. And Behar is good, but she could do better with her facts and talking points.

Barbara shows up every and then and tries to slow Hasselbeck down and will occasionally support Behar's comments.

It's at core a confused show, because they pretend to discuss current events ("Hot Topics" as they are called) seriously, yet none of them (aside from Behar) is near enough equipped to do so. So it becomes a mockery, a spectacle of shouting over one another--and Hasselbeck always wins in that context.

The disturbing thing here is that Hasselbeck really thinks she is an informed authority on politics. That she called the Obama program 'repulsive' will no doubt be milked big time today on the show. She's the same one who insisted he is leaning toward Marxism and other fear inciting labels.

Just yesterday, Hasselbeck actually completely minimized the horrific shout-outs aimed at harming Obama. She attempted to defend those who cried out with hate in rallies by saying "Sometimes it's the ones who don't shout out but remain silent are the ones you actually have to worry about".

...McCain argued yesterday that Obama's ad is anti-baseball, insisting it would bump back the World Series on Fox by 15 minutes.

Check the ratings, McCain. No one will care.

Hell the only reason it is still going on is because the officials decided to wait for the Rays to tie the game before calling it due to weather. Just let the Phillies win already so sports news can be dominated by the one real sport, NFL football. :)

Elizabeth Hasselbeck is a darling of the RR. As such, she is a valuable barometer of what we are up against.

Hasselbeck? She's a former Survivor contestant. Which is why we should all pay very close attention to her political views. Posted by: Jennifer

She gets her last name from her husband, who was a second string NFL quarterback. I don't know if he's playing any more. His older brother is Matt Hasselbeck, starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. Due to a lower back injury (being underplayed by the team and press here) he may be in his last season. By this time next year, she may be the only Hasselbeck in the public eye. Ugh.

...McCain argued yesterday that Obama's ad is anti-baseball, insisting it would bump back the World Series on Fox by 15 minutes.

Check the ratings, McCain. No one will care. posted by: doubtful

The baseball (and basketball and hockey) season is two months too long anyway with instances where both ends having had games called for snow. The Boys of Summer should be just that.

Would anyone want a party running anything in government that has resorted to name calling and bullying as their last ditch attempt to hold on to power?

both parties do nothing but attack each other..
dont want to hear attacks.. i want to hear all the lies they tell you just to get there votes..

Elizabeth Hasselbeck is proof that Sarah Palin isn't the single dumbest bimbo on the planet. Like her buddy Sarah, she's a self-promoting reality-TV star.

Also, it should not be shocking that Hasselbeck is the apprentice to Sith Lord Hanity. All of her material comes directly from him.

How can anyone call a program "repulsive" when they HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN IT?!

To any rational person (not hasselbeck's crowd), it immediately discredits the speaker's argument and makes them look unhinged.

All these right-wingers are preaching to the choir. No votes are moving due to anything that they're saying.

She was on Survivor where she ate bugs and her hair fell out. As far as I know that's the extent of her "accomplishments."

Sadly, she also devalues a Boston College degree every time she opens her mouth.

Tsk, tsk, Obama's getting uppity -- I mean, presumptuous -- again.

Just because Elizabeth has morals, values and can think for herself and has an education doesn't mean you should hate her because you are jealous!!

I don't want my money going to you worthless, good for nothing welfare grubbers either.

You want a change--well look at Cuba and thats the kind of change Barry will give you. Barry is full of lies and all of you uneducated hypocrits are falling for his ability to put it into words you can understand.

You don't know who Elizabeth HASSELBECK is? What the hell is wrong with you?

Before vote for Obama remember that you never lived in a comunist cuntry. Is time to try it with Obama. Give your pie away befor you even test it.

Does anyone really know why ABC is not doing the spot?

Just because Elizabeth has morals, values and can think for herself and has an education doesn't mean you should hate her because you are jealous!!

I don't want my money going to you worthless, good for nothing welfare grubbers either.

You want a change--well look at Cuba and thats the kind of change Barry will give you. Barry is full of lies and all of you uneducated hypocrits are falling for his ability to put it into words you can understand.

I would like to announce that I did not write this.

These half hour media buys always remoind me of "Dukakis After Dark."

Of course, tonight's game is the resumption of Game five and will "start" in the bottom of the sexth inning, so somehow, I don't think it would matter much to anybody even if Obama's ad were to delay the start of what is, in effect, a 2 1/2 inning game.

"...I don't know who Hasselbeck is..."

You're lucky.

Seriously? She was a cute contestant on Survivor who parlayed that into television gigs that eventually landed her on The View. She is the lone conservative and it a total 28-percenter.

Oh, one semi-serious point. People saying nobody cares about the World Series...well, that's true nationally. But there's two places where ratings are through the roof on those games, and those places are in Pennsylvania and Florida.

PRIME TIME ON THE "NEUTRAL" NETWORKS (ABC/NBC/CBS)? What a sad commentary on the so-called unbiased news media. Granted, Fox is completely right wing, but I expect more from ABC, NBC & CBS.

Obama continues to prove he has no problems spending other people's money. Can't wait till he begins to use mine frivolously!!!

... You want a change--well look at Cuba and thats the kind of change Barry will give you. Barry is full of lies and all of you uneducated hypocrits are falling for his ability to put it into words you can understand.

Note: When calling an entire group of people "uneducated," it's bad form to appear as such while doing so.

The rest of your rant is unworthy of comment.

Mark D,
You are prime example!
Goes to school and learn the word typo!
Apparently, if you took offense to my "rant" it must apply to you.

Mark D,
You are prime example!
Go to school and learn the word typo!
Apparently, if you took offense to my "rant" it must apply to you.

Hahahahahaha!!!... Elisabeth Hasselbeck?! I always wondered where the hell that moron came from, and when I found out it was Survivor: Australia I thought it was the most hilarious thing I'd ever heard.

So the republicans are making their lead story about what a woman who is the equivalent of the next winner of American Idol thinks about Obama's ad? QUICK! Somebody go shove a microphone in Clay Aiken's face and ask him to give his opinion on John McCain's economic plan!

Sheesh...what a bunch of idiots.

Mark D, You are prime example! Goes to school and learn the word typo!

Epic. Fail.

Apparently, if you took offense to my "rant" it must apply to you.

Being "unworthy" is not the same as being "offensive."

You see, as of now, all you're doing is the typographical equivalent of a half-retarded monkey flinging poop. So until you post something of substance, mockery and derision is all you deserve.

Barack Obama was seated next to a young boy on an airplane. He turned to him and said, 'Let's talk. I've heard that flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger.'
The boy, who had just opened his book, closed it slowly and said to Obama, 'What would you like to talk about?'
'Oh, I don't know,' said Obama. 'How about What Changes I Should Make To America ?' and he smiles.
'OK, ' he said. 'That could be an interesting topic. But let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass . Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse produces clumps of dried grass. Why do you suppose that is?'
Obama, visibly surprised by the boy's intelligence, thinks about it and says, 'Hmmm, I have no idea.'
To which the boy replies, 'Do you really feel qualified to change America when you don't know shit?

I'm deeply concerned about what Elisabeth Hasselbeck thinks. As Hasselbeck goes, so goes the nation.

I know Richard Nixon had a long commercial, at least a half hour, and I think it may have been an hour long, in 1968, right before the election.

Mark,
I do suppose you are an Obama supporter. So fixated on someone else's mistakes rather than YOUR OWN!

Of the three non-baseball broadcast networks, ABC was last to decide whether to accept the spot. They could use the opportunity to showcase its critically-acclaimed but low-rated show, Pushing Daises, making it the "only other thing on TV" at the time. It was reported in the last few days that ABC did finally offer the spot to Obama, but the campaign had already allocated the funds elsewhere. Hopefully it helps the show, which is quite good.

Ironically ABC is the network of The View, which employs Hasselbeck. Their news site has a habit of taking the stupid thing that she says each day, and spinning it as if it were news-worthy.

And no matter what her views are, Elisabeth Hasselbeck is the quite possibly the most incompetent live network television host on air right now. She has actually gotten worse in the five years since she lucked into her job.

Mark, I do suppose you are an Obama supporter. So fixated on someone else's mistakes rather than YOUR OWN!

Thank you for displaying, once again, that irony is not, in fact, a black fly in one's chardonnay.

But at least you spelled everything correctly this time. By the end of the week, you might even be able to work yourself up to entire paragraphs!

I know Richard Nixon had a long commercial, at least a half hour, and I think it may have been an hour long, in 1968, right before the election.

Actually, several candidates have done this, including Nixon (though I think it was in 1972, not '68). Perot was the most recent, back in '92.

So it's not as if this sort of thing is unprecedented. It's just that, as usual, wingnuts have such a tenuous grasp on reality that they think what Obama is doing is somehow out of line or original. It's neither.

Maybe if they spent more time learning about history, rather than finding new and disgusting ways to distort and re-write it, they wouldn't keep exposing themselves as so painfully ridiculous.

Obama should be credited with reducing the amount of time that Jeanne Zelasko and Tim McCarver spend opining before the game! That might be worth a few votes right there...

Are you really Obama himself? So pretentious, arrogant and full of bullshit!

It's not being shown on any Spanish language channels?? why not?

I am not sure if I would classify Willie Geist as a wingnut. To me he just comes across as a stupid rich kid who's probably never had to worry about putting food on the table or had to worry about making the insurance payment or the house payment. To me he just comes across as an uninformed twit who does veer to the right.

Obama should give some of that money to the poor underprivileged people that he supposedly champions. THEN I might be able to listen to him try to sell himself to the American people. However, I dont think that anything could persuade me to vote for the man.
Why is he offended that he is called a "Socialist", when he is in fact promoting a socialist government. Is anyone paying attention, or are they just listening to the 'pitch'.

And Obama made it rain on Game 5 so his ad would get better ratings placed before the resumption of the game on what would have been an off day. This talent should come in handy in dealing with climate change.