This is how real leadership looks and sounds like!

No gambles, no stunts, no lies, no contradictions!

I really love these "talking to the camera" ads. I think they make him seem calm and collected and Presidential.

Isn't that the same 2 minute one from last week? I love it just as much!

His voice is warm, soothing, comforting. He provides reassurance. And that lets people listen to how he's going to take care of them and make things fairer for them.

Excellent ad.

Especially the part about taxes, since I hear the repubs want to brand him as raising taxes.

I challenge anyone who is under 50 to remember a time when we've had a Democratic candidate who was capable of being this clear, convincing, even charming when he's being serious. The reason that Obama has had my vote for so long is that I have believed and continue to believe that he is the single best Democratic politician to come along in my lifetime. We can only hope that ads such as these pull those 1 or 2 percent of the uncommitted and "independent" voters. We can only hope, even more deeply, than he can use this persuasive ability to swing the democratic party back in the direction of being, well, democratic (the Clintons have always been far too centrist for me).

Where is this ad going up?

The economic crisis also limits whatever value Rev. Wright ads would've had. They would seem just so OT to the voters who want answers and leadership about what is happening right now today.

The worst part of this crisis AFAIC, is that no one trusts or believes the administration so everyone is taking positions on it based on what they know and it may not be what Bush knows.

I know that's getting to me.

When things get like this the most a candidate can do is tell us what his philosophy of economics and governing is cause I don't think anyone really knows the situation until they get in the White House. It gets harder and harder to be specific about things when you don't really know what to expect. Especially in a crisis.

The lack of trust here between the executive and the legislative is killing us right now.

I know the first two-minute Obama ad was running in PA, just outside of Philly in a very Republican-leaning area. This is where my sister lives, a life-long Republican herself, and she was impacted strongly by the first ad. She said it was genuine, direct, and very presidential. She decided to vote Democrat for the first time in her life this election (1 out of 7 elections); not due entirely to this ad, but rather, a disdain for McCain and his campaign. This ad should be just as effective as the first, in my opinion. And put out just at the right time.

Obama will be the only possible president today who can -- on inauguration day -- tell us that we are in for some really hard times AND give us the inspiration, the hope to face the hard times directly.

It reminds me of both Bush and Reagan. Bush told us that we needed to keep on shopping after 9/11, that we didn't need to sacrifice for our upcoming struggle against organized terrorism, that the tax cuts recently passed were necessary for the so-called war's success.

Reagan, who faced a situation probably worse than today's, took the economy down much too hard to stop inflation, and offered little (as I recall) in the way of hope. I remember being considered lucky in '84 that I was able to get a conventional 30-year mortgage at 13.5% interest with nearly 40% down.

Both walked only half the walk either neglecting action with words or words with action.

Good ad. All the things you all say, seconded.

However there is one line he uses when he talks about the economy, which I've also noticed at other times: "...what we have instead is the pain trickling up."

I know what he means, but I can't help thinking - every time I hear that line - that folks might think he's talking about the pain that has trickled up to the uber-rich, rather than the pain that has trickled up to the middle class from the uber-poor.

Sigh. I guess it's just a small thing, but after the last few decades of lies, twisted bullshit, half-truths, and Rovian mindfuckery I'm a little sensitive about leaving live ammo around for the droolers to fire back at us.

A simple question: Since the market is a non-thinking construction and therefore is not designed to regulate itself, how do you regulate against greed?

This ad has been running heavily in central Ohio.
It's an excellent ad.

This is a great ad....he comes off very sincere, presidential, relatable.

He clearly explains his tax plan and importantly explains that seniors makine less than 50,000 a year will pay no income tax. I don't think that has been emphasized enough in the swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio. That will matter to the critical senior vote.

Notice how the open doors and door hardware frame and keep the view focused on Obama's face. Very clever.