Obama's Informercial Is Checkmate Against McCain

If I've guessed correctly, Sen. Barack Obama's 30-minute informercial on several national media outlets tonight should prove to be the final move he needed to make in his campaign to be elected as this country's next president.Some political pundits have called this general election phase a Battle Royale of sorts that involved ideological, generational, and social contrasts.

But if I accurately have a sense for the way Obama thinks, he played his campaign against John McCain like a chess match. He's now made his case for declaring checkmate.How so?If any of you've been watching the polls like I have, Obama leads either comfortably or significantly in most of the states that have shown an inclination to vote for him. Although the national polls have dwindled from about eight points to right at six points since last weekend, Obama is likely to experience a boost in the overall polls once again.

Add him going on a likely full-court press with his campaign stops it's also probable that his overall margin over McCain should take him back up to seven or eight points by the end of the weekend. That would make it almost impossible -if the polls are any where near accurate – for McCain to overcome with two days remaining.

Obama's informercial went straight to the heart of this country and matter. He used samplings from ordinary people from Missouri, Ohio, New Mexico, and Kentucky to articulate their personal situations. All were struggling in some form or fashion like many of us. That resonates with the average person.Of personal interest, I'm aware of a man who is in his mid-50s who after today was out of an $85,000-a-year job as a senior manager.

He has a wife, a college-age daughter, a pre-teen son, and a mortgage. As of today, his employer could not withstand this economy and officially closed its doors. His problems are much like those who appeared on Obama's informercial. Now he's facing the uncertainty of whether he'll find a job -any one - given his work experience, pay his bills, or have anything to be thankful over for at the family's holiday meal next month.Complicating matters, earlier this year his daughter had surgery to relieve issues from a cancerous tumor on her brain stem.

I'm not sure whether he's managed to pay whatever he's been exposed with his insurance coverage: a $1,500 deductible and a $5,000 out-of-pocket expense. But considering the actual cost of the surgery and other related services was in upwards of $30,000 he wasn't complaining at the time. Now he'll have no health insurance starting on Nov. 1; his daughter's only option unless he finds a job is to accept a marginal indemnity plan that doesn't pay for any hospitalization or the state's insurance pool, which costs on average twice as much as an individual insurance plan.

I'm sure that Obama's tax plan that should help 95 percent of tax-paying Americans sounds inviting at this moment. So does Obama's proposed tax credit for college. Not to mention, his proposed policy to streamline the health insurance industry, and make it a little more affordable.

Though the Republicans may scoff and mock Obama's moment, comparing it to his Party acceptance speech and staging in Denver, they would love to have had a fraction of the money that Obama spent on the 30 minutes of prime air time to present whatever message they might have to offer this country.

The way Obama orchestrated the informercial along with his campaign stops this week is nothing short of brilliance. I'm more than convinced that he's had some read on McCain, and he knows that McCain being the military man that he is will not concede this election until it becomes clearly obvious on Tuesday night.

The fact remains, however, that McCain has no more moves that he can make on this year's political chessboard. Obama has him cornered; therefore, it is checkmate.

--Posted By Sam B. Redd to Straight From The Maverick at 10/29/2008