Truemors
is reporting from
Member
NP Rank:
NP Rank:
Barack Obama and John McCain Push Hard in Last Days of Campaign
Share: 
by Rob Walker | October 28, 2008 at 11:37 am
170 views | 7 Recommendations | 3 comments
Photos
Courting Florida
Obama, Biden, McCain, Palin...pretty much everyone from both sides of the election stopped by the I-4 corridor in Florida in an effort to grab votes. Not only is the swing state rich in electoral votes but was the area that decided the presidency in 2000:
...this is political reality in Florida, a crucial battleground state again this year: No region is a greater bellwether of who will win the state and its 27 electoral votes than the counties that stretch along Interstate 4 from Tampa Bay, through Plant City and into Orlando and Daytona.Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was just here; Joe Biden wrapped up a visit Tuesday, and Obama makes another visit Wednesday. McCain has been here several times.
Speeches
There is a lot of conversation, both online and in the media, regarding Barack Obama's 'closing argument' speech he gave in Ohio on October 27. Obama spoke earlier today in Chester, Pennsylvania, continuing his speeches on change.
The Obama camp had billed yesterday's speech as the Democrats' closing argument to the American people, 21 months after he began his run for the White House. He chose to deliver it in Ohio, the state which more than any other will decide whether Obama or John McCain wins the White House, one week from today.
McCain spoke yesterday in Ohio, on the same day as Obama, and tried to position himself as the better candidate for the economy. He also acknowledged his lag in the polls but vowed he wouldn't give up.
Speaking at the James S. Trent Arena behind Fairmont High School in Kettering, McCain, the Republican nominee for president, told an enthusiastic crowd that “nothing is inevitable here” and that his campaign is ready to “fight to the end.”
Campaign Advertising
Neither campaign is ignoring the internet this time around; both John McCain and Barack Obama's staff bought keywords from Google. They include search terms like 'john mccain' 'sarah palin biography' 'obama vp' and 'joe biden'.
Google is often the choice of first resort for people looking for information online and this election season is no exception. Because of its volume, both the McCain and Obama campaigns are paying to put their websites on its pages.Web research firms, like Hitwise and CNS Media Intelligence have analyzed which the campaigns’ have selected to show their ads during September and October 2008.
Obama bought prime-time ad space on numerous major US television networks, including CBS, NBC, Fox and Univision. He will be airing a 30-minute version of his 'closing argument' speech:
The Obama campaign has purchased ad time on October 29 on CBS, NBC, Fox, and Univision; each is scheduled to air a 30-minute “closing argument” infomercial from Sen. Obama at 8:00 p.m. Fox has agreed to push back the start of game six of the World Series.
Robocalls continue to be sent out, as well as commercials. Even commercials that were outed as false are being replayed in some key areas:
The narrator in this spot, which is timed to a now-denied report in Haaretz claiming that the French president doesn't like Obama's Iran policies, says: "Obama says Iran is a 'tiny' country. 'Doesn't pose a serious threat.' Terrorism? Destroying Israel? Those aren't serious threats?"
McCain's 'Joe the Plumber' (who was previously discovered to be a Republican) has come out in support of...John McCain.
“Joe the Plumber,” the small business aspirant and overnight media sensation, endorsed John McCain’s presidential campaign Tuesday and said Barack Obama would make America a socialist nation.
What is NowPublic?
NowPublic lets people work together to cover news events around the world.
Crowd Power
qwrrty
Carlisle, Massachusetts, United States
francisrivera
Manila, Philippines
USArmy
Arlington, Virginia, United StatesSusan See
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United Statesvbagate
Charles Town, West Virginia, United States
digitalshaman
North Miami Beach, Florida, United Statesbp6316
Hope Mills, North Carolina, United States
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (3)
at 14:55 on October 28th, 2008
Rob Walker, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 20:39 on October 29th, 2008
at 16:56 on October 30th, 2008
Rob Walker, I like this story. It's good stuff. I was just reminded of the fact that 'Joe the Plumber' had said to a tv reporter recently, that he would be considering running for office some day! Hmmm, from ordinary plumber without a license to political candidate? Who would've guessed! Someone who apparently still owes thousands of $$ in back taxes ... sure wouldn't he be just the sort of fellow the McCain camp could use?!