All right. Who watched it and what did you think?

I started watching it. Actually watched about 15 minutes of it and that was all I could take. But at least I did give him a chance. He's talking like if he's elected, we'll be in total utopia and all will be right with the world.

I think he's giving false promises. Many false promises.

Just curious, what are his false promises? Or should I say many false promises...

What struck me was how normal he is and how he wants to make things better for America. I don't think he has a nefarious plan to harm America at all.

I don't care what the haters say. I have listened to many speeches that John McCain has given and most of the interviews or speeches and I read a lot of what Palin says. And when I compare what they have to give it sounds just like what we have now which is broke. We need to go in another direction.

When you know what you have is broke you can't go anywhere but in a different direction. Willl there be mistakes? Sure, he's human but I don't believe that he will make the mistakes that have happened in the last eight years and the coming years if MCCain and Palin, (delusional about their poll numbers, thinking that the race is tied) win. Denial is not a good thing....in the last few years, we have had lots of denial...denial that the war was going along fine, denial that the economy is sound...etc......

A vote for McCain is a vote for another Bush administration.

I can say that I admire McCain for what service he has done for our country. I wish him well. But I want better for my country. I want better for my children. This is historic. When I was raising my boys, I used to say, they could be anything in the world they wanted to be. When Obama wins next week, (according to the polls I view and the electoral college) when a mother tells her AA child that he can be anything he/she wants, it can mean even president.

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GO NAVY WRESTLING!!BEAT ARMY!!!
RJB 3/18/60 - 5/22/04
We miss you, sweet brother
God Bless the USA!!!!! Praying for my Youngster son at United States Naval Academy, class of 2014!!

http://mylifeundertheabaya.blogspot.com/

Come on, do you actually think any of McCain supporters will have anything positive to say about it, if they even bothered to watch it? Just as they will express disdain and disrespect when he is POTUS......even though they have preached ad nauseum how everyone else HAD TO respect Bush and all his decisions simply because he held the office. Don't hold your breath ......

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"Well-Behaved Women SELDOM make history."Laurel Thatcher Ulrich


"Yesterday is but a vision, and tomorrow is only a dream. But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a dream of hope." Anonymous

"Your candle does not lose it's light by lighting another candle" Generosity

Have the courage to be yourself.

He is certainly well educated and a good speaker. That is clear. What is not, is exactly how he is going to make good on all of the promises.

I think he is a more charismatic speaker than McCain and people get fooled, being pulled in. I've seen nothing solid out of McCain either to make good on all of the promises either.

Change? It's been a platform for several elections and yet no one has accomplished it. I doubt either of these two can / will either. They are both pie in the sky instead of taking several issues and truly sinking their teeth into what could be attainable.

dl

I thought he was great tonight. It was so refreshing to NOT see the bashing I have seen in political ads this week. That's the one bad thing about living in Ohio political ads up the rear. After it was over my son from college called and said he is coming home Friday and is getting up first thing Saturday to go vote for Obama. This is the first time he has ever gotten to vote since he is only 18 and he's so excited about it!!!

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Mom to Jake, Zach & Meghan
SJCC STREAKS FOOTBALL!!
CLEVELAND BROWNS FOOTBALL!

I'm in Ohio and yes, I'm sick of all the ads. I watched Obama tonight, and I really enjoyed it. A lot of what was said, however, were things that have been in ads I've already seen. That's one of the things that I have enjoyed about this campaign - I know that as it gets down to the wire, ads can get nastier, but for the most part, the Obama ads have been ones which have talked about what he wants to do for our country rather than ads that bash John McCain.

Funny thing - not ten minutes after the Obama thing tonight, there was a McCain ad on our TV that just reamed Obama - it was awful! After seeing so many positive things that Obama had to say, you would think that the McCain camp could put on an ad to show John McCain in a positive light. Instead, they showed an ad that just ripped Obama apart and made themselves look rude and desperate.

I like both Obama and McCain - there are positives and negatives with both of them. For many years I've admired John McCain, but I wish he could have shown himself in a more positive light in his commercials. Each time I see one, it makes me cringe. Every single commercial for McCain that has run in my area has been a negative ad against Obama - what I want to see from McCain is something positive about HIM, not something negative about Obama.

haha - as I was typing this, there was yet another negative McCain ad running on my TV. I can't wait until next Wednesday when this is all over. lol

Me also primdee....can't wait to start posting "President-elect Obama" instead of Senator Obama

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"Well-Behaved Women SELDOM make history."Laurel Thatcher Ulrich


"Yesterday is but a vision, and tomorrow is only a dream. But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a dream of hope." Anonymous

"Your candle does not lose it's light by lighting another candle" Generosity

Have the courage to be yourself.

See, I think it depend on where you are. For every one McCain commercial here--there are 10 Obama commercials. And yes, they have been negative on both sides. But since we've been deluged w/ Obama ads--it appears that he's being more negative.
So, I'm pretty sure what each of us our seeing on the TV, varies by region.

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Watched the entire thing and simply loved every moment of it. I cannot wait until he leads our country as our new President..... Catherine

You know it's so weird. I have only seen one presidential ad here. It was the Obama "McCain is going to cut your social securtiy" one. Maybe it's because I don't watch much tv, but I've seen plently of the governor's race. They're horrible!

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"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"
- George Orwell Animal Farm

I'm rubbing my eyes to see if I'm reading this correctly..

CBS news...

Reality Check: The Cost Of Obama's Pledges, CBS Evening News: If Victorious, Barack Obama May Find Fewer Resources Than He Needs For His Campaign Promises - CBS News

Reality Check: The Cost Of Obama's Pledges
CBS Evening News: If Victorious, Barack Obama May Find Fewer Resources Than He Needs For His Campaign Promises

Oct. 29, 2008



Obama's TV Ad Aimed At Middle Class
Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama aired a 30 minute prime time TV special in hopes of getting his message out to the middle class. Daniel Libit, Reporter for Politico, discusses whether or not it was effective. | Share/Embed



(CBS) This story was written by Wyatt Andrews.

Without question, the Barack Obama infomercial served as a very slick and powerful recitation of the biggest promises he's made as a presidential candidate. But the very bigness of his ideas is the problem: he seems blind to the concept his numbers don't add up.

Let's start with his highly suspect, and widely discredited, claim that he can find federal "spending cuts beyond the costs" of his promises. Very few independent economists believe he has identified the savings needed to offset his remarkable list of tax credits, tax cuts and spending pledges.

Fact: Even if you believe Obama intends to fix health care, most independent analysts say the cost is massive - $1.2 trillion over ten years, according to the highly respected Lewin Group. When the new Congress wakes up next year to a $1 trillion deficit, and answers the overwhelming new demands for another stimulus package, will the leadership really bite on a health care reform package that digs the deficit hole so much deeper?

And that's just the beginning of what Obama would spend.

Fact: The tax cuts he promises, which are mostly refundable tax credits (code for cash back), will cost $60 billion just in year one, according the National Taxpayers Union, though the Obama campaign's own estimates in July put that figure at $130 billion.

Fact: His new promise to give businesses a $3,000 tax credit for each new job created will cost $40 billion. But economists say this credit is far more likely to benefit companies already planning to expand and will likely not be enough to help companies create new jobs or forestall layoffs.

Fact: Obama's claim he will lower health care premiums by $2,500 is: 1.) guesswork, which is 2.) based on health care savings that might, in a perfect world, happen over 10 years - a fact Obama neatly glosses over.

Fact: Obama, when referring to savings he can make by leaving Iraq ($90 billion, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates), has spent these savings several times over, across several different promises depending on the crowd he's addressing.

Most of the time he spends the Iraq savings in the context of the roads he wants to build; sometimes it's for the teachers he wants to hire. Tonight, he riffed rhetorically on the savings, asking how many scholarships could be funded, or how many schools could be built. In the end though, presuming he really saves $90 billion, he can only spend it once.

Remember he also mentioned rebuilding the military ($7 billion/yr); his education initiative ($18 billion/yr); and his energy initiative ($15 billion/yr). He did not mention the $188 billion that he would spend on the brand new stimulus package he has proposed.

If he closes every loophole as promised, saves every dime from Iraq, raises taxes on the rich and trims the federal budget as he's promised to do "line by line," he still doesn't pay for his list. If he's elected, the first fact hitting his desk will be the figure projecting how much less of a budget he has to work with - thanks to the recession. He gave us a very compelling vision with his ad buy tonight. What he did not give us was any hint of the cold reality he's facing or a sense of how he might prioritize his promises if voters trust him with the White House.


By Wyatt Andrews
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

And...GASP! AP!

The Associated Press: Obama's prime-time ad skips over budget realities

Obama's prime-time ad skips over budget realities
By CALVIN WOODWARD – 5 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was less than upfront in his half-hour commercial Wednesday night about the costs of his programs and the crushing budget pressures he would face in office.

Obama's assertion that "I've offered spending cuts above and beyond" the expense of his promises is accepted only by his partisans. His vow to save money by "eliminating programs that don't work" masks his failure throughout the campaign to specify what those programs are — beyond the withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

A sampling of what voters heard in the ad, and what he didn't tell them:

THE SPIN: "That's why my health care plan includes improving information technology, requires coverage for preventive care and pre-existing conditions and lowers health care costs for the typical family by $2,500 a year."

THE FACTS: His plan does not lower premiums by $2,500, or any set amount. Obama hopes that by spending $50 billion over five years on electronic medical records and by improving access to proven disease management programs, among other steps, consumers will end up saving money. He uses an optimistic analysis to suggest cost reductions in national health care spending could amount to the equivalent of $2,500 for a family of four. Many economists are skeptical those savings can be achieved, but even if they are, it's not a certainty that every dollar would be passed on to consumers in the form of lower premiums.

___

THE SPIN: "I also believe every American has a right to affordable health care."

THE FACTS: That belief should not be confused with a guarantee of health coverage for all. He makes no such promise. Obama hinted as much in the ad when he said about the problem of the uninsured: "I want to start doing something about it." He would mandate coverage for children but not adults. His program is aimed at making insurance more affordable by offering the choice of government-subsidized coverage similar to that in a plan for federal employees and other steps, including requiring larger employers to share costs of insuring workers.

___

THE SPIN: "I've offered spending cuts above and beyond their cost."

THE FACTS: Independent analysts say both Obama and Republican John McCain would deepen the deficit. The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates Obama's policy proposals would add a net $428 billion to the deficit over four years — and that analysis accepts the savings he claims from spending cuts. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, whose other findings have been quoted approvingly by the Obama campaign, says: "Both John McCain and Barack Obama have proposed tax plans that would substantially increase the national debt over the next 10 years." The analysis goes on to say: "Neither candidate's plan would significantly increase economic growth unless offset by spending cuts or tax increases that the campaigns have not specified."

___

THE SPIN: "Here's what I'll do. Cut taxes for every working family making less than $200,000 a year. Give businesses a tax credit for every new employee that they hire right here in the U.S. over the next two years and eliminate tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. Help homeowners who are making a good faith effort to pay their mortgages, by freezing foreclosures for 90 days. And just like after 9-11, we'll provide low-cost loans to help small businesses pay their workers and keep their doors open. "

THE FACTS: His proposals — the tax cuts, the low-cost loans, the $15 billion a year he promises for alternative energy, and more — cost money, and the country could be facing a record $1 trillion deficit next year. Indeed, Obama recently acknowledged — although not in his commercial — that: "The next president will have to scale back his agenda and some of his proposals."

Oh Kolu, that doesn't really matter does it? He's young, fresh, exciting, so normal, yada yada yada. Who cares if he can carry through w/ his promises. He's just so exciting!

Quite frankly, I hope he won't be able to carry through w/ most of his promises should he be elected.

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Proud Wife of an Army Soldier and proud mother of an Army MP currently serving in Iraq.


"To any critics who say a woman can't think and work and carry a baby at the same time, I'd just like to escort that Neanderthal back to the cave." - Sarah Palin

That infomercial last night was just preying on the people who really aren't into watching the news, reading newspapers or taking any interest in politics at all. He showed people struggling to make ends meet, connected them to the people watching and made the people watching feel that he has the answer for everything. He was smart in what he did, that's for sure. Heck, with what I watched last night, if I didn't know anything about our election and what's really going on, and just jumped on the bandwagon of whoever said things the best and who promises me the world, he'd be getting my vote. I'm afraid that's what a lot of people are doing, too.

Obama is reaching a lot of people who aren't really informed and will follow willingly without question because he is young and different. Obama is telling people what they want to hear and people are lapping it up like hungry dogs.

I just saw this on another board..thought "some" would understand it.


"The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade. The presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest. I decided we would have an election for a class president. We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote.
To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members. We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have. We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.
The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids. The day arrived when they were to make their speeches. Jamie went first. He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best. Every one applauded. He sat down and Olivia came to the podium. Her speech was concise. She said, “If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream.” She sat down. The class went wild. “Yes! Yes! We want ice cream.”
She surely could say more. She did not have to. A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream? She wasn’t sure. Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it. She didn’t know. The class really didn’t care. All they were thinking about was ice cream. Jamie was forgotten. Olivia won by a land slide.
Every time Barack Obama opens his mouth he offers ice cream, and fifty percent of America reacts like nine year olds. They want ice cream. The other fifty percent know they’re going to have to feed the cow." -- Unknown Author

That is a great point.

Reminds me of when I was in 4th grade (it was right after President Kennedy was shot), we had an election for president of the class. I was nominated, along with someone else. We, too, had to give our speeches in front of the class. I still remember it today -- I promised I would put coca-cola in the water fountains! When I made that statement, the kids in the class went crazy -- coca-cola in the water fountain -- cool! I couldn't do that. Heck, could anybody do that? No. But it won me the election. To this day, at my old school, we still have water in the water fountains!!

Empty promises....... but say anything to win the election.

What the uninformed people are forgetting is that whatever either candidate has in mind he has to get it past the CONGRESS!!! And either's plan for health care has about much chance as a snowball in that hot place. Others have tried to change things but it never gets done.

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Laura
Please visit my blog
http://mylifeinlaurasworld.blogspot.com/

I agree. It's a propaganda technique. . . .black-and-white fallacy.

We're offered Obama's Plan A or McCain's Plan B. The choice is between which plan you like better. BUT the truth is that we are not going to get either A or B. We're going to get Plan C, which is exactly what we have now, or Plan D, which in no way resembles Plan A or B. That being said. . .people buy into this crap.

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"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?"
- George Orwell Animal Farm

Yes he made all these promises, he wont possibly be able to keep..he reminded me of one of those televangeliste promising you money if you sow a seed!!!!!! Literally at the end he sounded like he was preaching...kinda turned my stomach....Sherri

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"It isn't that liberals are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
- Ronald Reagan