Obama 30 Minute TV Infomercial Speech and McCain Response: LIVE Updates

The senator from Illinois this month arranged to buy tonight's 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. slot on CBS, NBC and Spanish-language network Univision. Fox Broadcasting joined the field after Major League Baseball agreed to delay the start time of tonight's World Series game.

Walt Disney Co.-owned ABC, however, initially balked at selling its 8 p.m. slot, saying it didn't want to bump its regularly scheduled series, "Pushing Daisies," even though the whimsical show has been struggling in the ratings.

ABC executives said the earlier decision not to accept the Obama infomercial was due to the problem of filling the second half-hour of the 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. time period -- and not for political reasons.

“We’ve been talking about the same problems for decades and nothing is ever done to solve them. For the past 20 months, I’ve traveled the length of this country, and Michelle and I have met so many Americans who are looking for real and lasting change that makes a difference in their lives,” Obama says in the commercial, according to the Times.

Several political image makers, both Republicans and Democrats, say it’s a smart move. But is there a risk of excess in it, as well? 

While Obama hasn’t made many strategic mistakes in his campaign against Republican John McCain, he has, on occasion, shown a weakness for extravagance.

Using clips of Obama and his massive campaign crowds, the voice-over states, “Behind the fancy speeches, grand promises and TV special, lies the truth: With crises at home and abroad, Barack Obama lacks the experience America needs. And it shows. His response to our economic crisis is to spend and tax our economy deeper into recession. The fact is Barack Obama’s not ready yet.”