Politics / Editor / 30 October 2008 / Leave a comment

It could have gone one of two ways: a final plea from Barack Obama that tips the minds of swing voters in his favour, or an inconvenience for ordinary people just wanting to watch the ball game

The emotional 'infomercials' aired by the Obama campaign last night have had little impact on the markets, with prices largely unchanged across the board.

There was a concern that interrupting the normal schedule of baseball's World Series, crucially in which the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays in the key states of Pennsylvania and Florida respectively were involved, might put people off. A 30-second ad is one thing, but 30 minutes was an expensive risk, albeit one that so far looks to have had no negative impact on the Democrat.

The only real move of note seems to be in Ohio, where Obama's position has strengthened even further. This is somewhat surprising as this trend is not being replicated in the other key swing states, particularly Florida and Missouri, where the markets remain unchanged. Similarly, Obama remains the strong favourite in Pennsylvania at [1.08], a state where John McCain is placing the majority of his campaigns' hopes to spring an upset and launch a comeback.

Perhaps more important than the impact of the infomercial is the fact that the Phillies triumphed in the World Series. This could be the final nail in the McCain coffin that sees the good feeling in Pennsylvania carry Barack Obama's motif of change across the finish line come Tuesday. One thing's for sure - the business end of this election is finally upon us.

Below is the full 30 minutes of the infomercial. If you are to watch one, go for part three - it offers some good West Wing-esque American cheese.

Barack Obama TV ad part one:

Barack Obama TV ad part two:

Barack Obama TV ad part three:


Barack Obama TV ad part four: