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.
The ad showed his wife, Michelle, and his two daughters as well as past photos of his black father from Kenya and white mother from Kansas.
The program ended 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 George W. 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."
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."
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Associated Press Writer Lynn Elber in Los Angeles and Mike Glover in West Palm Beach, Fla., contributed to this report.
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