Campaign '08

WASHINGTON (CBS News) ― In a campaign ad aired at a cost of millions, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama promised a rescue plan for the middle class in tough times Wednesday night as he reached for victory in his 21-month quest for the presidency.

"I will not be a perfect president," Obama said in the commercial. "But I can promise you this - I will always tell you what I think and where I stand."

Aides described the unusual ad as a final summation of Obama's campaign. They put the total cost at roughly $4 million, enough to show it simultaneously on CBS, NBC and Fox. It also was running on BET, Univision, MSNBC and TV One.

Across 30 minutes, the commercial blended views of Obama speaking in a setting that resembled the Oval Office, at the Democratic National Convention and elsewhere as well as scenes of Americans discussing their economic and health care troubles, and testimonials to the Democratic presidential candidate by politicians and business executives.

"Ronald Reagan had 'morning in America,' but this 30-minute infomercial had the feel of 'mid-morning in America,' said CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs. "Obama's message of change and hope is a powerful one and the primary reason he is clear front-runner in this election. As the examples his campaign chose to highlight in their made-for-Hollywood ad illustrated, however, the message runs up against a harsh reality. It will be up to voters to decide whether he can deliver on the promises."

The ad showed Obama's wife, Michelle, and his two daughters as well as past photos of his black father from Kenya and white mother from Kansas.

The campaign arranged to end the program with a live transmission of a campaign rally in Florida, one of several states where Obama is trying to capture traditionally Republican territory.

Without the money to match the commercial, Republican rival John McCain sniped at the man and the moment.

"He's got a few things he wants to sell you: He's offering government-run health care ... an energy plan guaranteed to work without drilling ... and an automatic wealth spreader that folds neatly and fits under any bed," McCain said during a campaign stop in Florida.

McCain also criticized Obama for having signed a pledge to accept federal funds for the fall campaign and then breaking his word.

By opting out of the public financing, Obama was free to raise unheard of millions for the final weeks of the race, and afford costly events such as the television commercial.

After months of campaigning, Obama offered no new proposals in the ad. Instead, he stressed his plan to offer tax cuts to the middle class, "restore the long-term health of our economy and our middle class."

Obama said the nation's neglected problems predate President Bush, but that the economic crisis that erupted a few weeks ago was a "final verdict on eight years of failed policies."

The video features footage shot by Davis Guggenheim, the director and executive producer of former Vice President Al Gore's global warming documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." Guggenheim also produced and directed the HBO series "Deadwood." In the commercial, his scenes play out against a soaring score.

"His campaign is calling this the phase where he will be making his closing argument," said Democratic media consultant Tad Devine, a senior adviser to John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign. "This is a tremendous opportunity to make that argument and to make it at some length."

The ad was not appearing on ABC because by the time the network decided to offer the time slot to Obama, his campaign had already finalized the ad buy, according to people familiar with the discussions who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.

Earlier, taping an appearance on the Daily Show for later in the evening, Obama said he had to reassure one of his daughters that the commercial would not pre-empt all programming.

"I was describing this to Michelle and my daughters, and Malia, who's 10, said, 'Hold up a second. Are you saying that my programs are going to be interrupted?' I said, 'No, we didn't buy on Disney.' So she was relieved."

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)