The Obamamercial: A Review

Keywords: Family, America, paycheck, health care, prescription drugs, personal responsibility, "rocket fuel," "this guy's good."

Components in ascending order of importance: 1.) Obama rattling off his policies; 2.) Cheerful Democratic supernumeraries (Tim Kaine, Bill Richardson, et alia) telling us how great Obama is; 3.) PBS documentary-style scrapbook of the life of Barack Obama -- dad he barely knew, mother who loved him, work that elevated him, family that loves him. 4.) Hardworkin' folks tryin' to keep their heads above water, to whom change sounds pretty good; 5.) Live appearance in front of cheering crowd in Florida (!), refrain of "In six days..." and the promise of a new America etc.

Best Supporting Actor: Tie -- Kentucky auto worker worried about money, for the look he gives when he has to pay twenty-odd bucks for some food; Joe Biden, for looking relaxed.

Overkill: "There's a quality in Barack Obama that they just don't see in other candidates" -- Dick Durbin.

Wicked Burn on Palin: Hardworking teacher who also tends to "a seven-year-old with special needs" -- because she needs the money.

Oddity: Kathleen Sebelius on Obama's "Kansas roots."

Grade: For Obama now it can only be Pass/Fail. We say he passed. On the down side, the very fact of the infomercial's existence is easy to mock. On the plus side, it was very positive and uplifting, nobody gives a shit about the World Series, and his opponents are at present running around the country shaking their fists at old Weathermen and Karl Marx, which is not the behavior of winners.