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Power, pop, and probings from ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper

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The Obama Half Hour Variety Show

October 29, 2008 12:56 PM

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., attacks the ad as a premature self-coronation; Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., prepares to be live from Sunrise, Fla.

Our "GMA" report here:

Meanwhile, ABC -- which is not airing the ad -- tells viewers to watch "Pushing Daisies" instead.

"Wednesday, America, you have a choice," an ABC TV ad says. "Get political with the other networks, or enjoy the Emmy-winning drama full of surprising revelations: ABC's 'Pushing Daisies.'"

"As swipes go, it's a pretty light-hearted one," writes Talking Points Memo's Greg Sargent. "But telling viewers dismissively not to watch one of the two candidates make his case less than a week before the election seems like a pretty dodgy place for a network to go."

- jpt

October 29, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (96)

User Comments

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"He will take your hard earned money.. and spread YOUR wealth amongst the people who do not prefer to work. Is that something you want..? I certainly don't.."

Of course, only people who prefer not to work are poor. There isn't a single person out there who works long, hard, hours who holds a low-paying job. Every poor person has made the decision to sit at home, not work, and be poor.

Get off your soapbox. The way you sound, you probably earn a low-enough income to benefit from Obama's economic policy. Could you define marxism for me?

Posted by: To ML: please | Oct 29, 2008 11:31:42 PM

"The audacity of Obama to cut into the World Series for his own purposes!!! He is a disgrace to this nation. Just like a dictator,..."

Did it ever occur to you that he paid (a lot) for that time. The networks could have said no (like ABC did) but they didn't. They took the money like good capitalistic companies do. So stop your yapping and watch the show. Maybe you'll learn something...like what the definition of Socialism is.

Posted by: Mar | Oct 29, 2008 9:23:39 PM

You Obama haters need to check your sources..The networks already said they didnt move ANYTHING for Obama so quit your whining.

Posted by: leneel | Oct 29, 2008 8:36:25 PM

"The audacity of Obama to cut into the World Series for his own purposes!!! He is a disgrace to this nation. Just like a dictator, he wants to take over the airwaves to promote his dream of turning the U.S. into a socialist, marxist country for HIS own good. It is OBAMA'S agenda he is working for, not yours.
He will take your hard earned money.. and spread YOUR wealth amongst the people who do not prefer to work. Is that something you want..? I certainly don't..
I will definitely NOT be watching his Obama variety show.. what a joke."

Calm Down. No need to resort to every single piece of McCain-Palin propaganda in one paragraph.

Posted by: Calm Down | Oct 29, 2008 7:39:20 PM

I try to watch McCain and Palins speeches as well as Obamas. Listening to the dueling duo is depressing. Palin is getting better at speaking, but I keep hearing the name calling and it is such a turn off. Obama has gone from having socialist tendencies to being a socialist, communist and according to the Florida interviewer, a marxist. I have yet to hear Obama knock them personally, bring up the Keating 5 or McCains association with Khalidi's Center for Palestine Research. I almost wish he would, but hopefully, he has more class.

Posted by: SUSIE | Oct 29, 2008 7:34:35 PM

The audacity of Obama to cut into the World Series for his own purposes!!! He is a disgrace to this nation. Just like a dictator, he wants to take over the airwaves to promote his dream of turning the U.S. into a socialist, marxist country for HIS own good. It is OBAMA'S agenda he is working for, not yours.
He will take your hard earned money.. and spread YOUR wealth amongst the people who do not prefer to work. Is that something you want..? I certainly don't..
I will definitely NOT be watching his Obama variety show.. what a joke.

Posted by: ML | Oct 29, 2008 7:16:37 PM

To "The Dude Abides"

Love your comment -

"Wow. I seem to remember when there was an inexperienced, draft dodging, coke snorting, unintelligent guy from TX running 8 years ago."

Yes, a small village in Texas has been missing their idiot for the past 8 years. Unfortunately, the idiot created world-wide havoc and now has blood on his hands. I guess the idiot was really a monster.

Posted by: DeborahNStPaul | Oct 29, 2008 7:11:29 PM

Tapper, good of you to quote favorably from the hard left TPM on this matter.
-------

Favorably?
Don't you think a network has every right to encourage viewers to not watch commercial television on other networks?
It's frightening that people think it's dodgy.

Thank you ABC, for your independence.

Posted by: MayBee | Oct 29, 2008 6:44:51 PM

I'll be watching ABC tonight.

Posted by: McCain for President | Oct 29, 2008 6:13:13 PM

Question: When was the last time McCain or Palin made a postive argument for *their* ticket?

All I hear from them are increasingly shrill attacks on, and smears of, Obama.

Is that what America needs right now? Nastiness and erratic, ineffective flailing?

It's sad to say, but after this campaign McCain will return to the Senate with not a bit of dignity or integrity left. He didn't have to go out like that.

As for Palin, she never had any dignity or integrity to begin with, so it's a wash for her.

Posted by: R | Oct 29, 2008 5:25:20 PM

voter in PA--don't think I can watch the show, my TV's not big enough for Obama's ego.

Posted by: S Adams | Oct 29, 2008 5:10:13 PM

lol, ok please just stop this pity party. i realize you're grasping at the last straws before the landslide Obama win on Nov 4th but jealousy is just a lousy, lousy thing.
give it up to the Senator. he's buying airtime, so he can speak to YOU and everyone else on how he plans to move this country forward. when was the last time mccain talked about what he was going to do FOR YOU?

:) i love it!!!

another $10 for the Obama camp


Posted by: voter in PA | Oct 29, 2008 4:59:02 PM

Can't you Republicans do anything but go negative?

Posted by: ziadora | Oct 29, 2008 4:43:27 PM

It didn't work out with ABC. That's okay.

However, maybe it's not okay with ABC?

The title, "The Obama Half Hour Variety Show," gives me pause.

It's best to overcome misunderstandings for the good of all.

Posted by: ziadora | Oct 29, 2008 4:41:04 PM

Will Rev Wright open the show with a prayer?

"GD American!!!
America's chiiickkkennnssssss, have come home to roost!"

"Now, let's all pledge allegiance to Obama's flag."

Louis Farakhan, would you like to say a special prayer to our Messiah?"

Posted by: S Adams | Oct 29, 2008 4:36:19 PM

It didn't work out with ABC. That's okay.

Posted by: ziadora | Oct 29, 2008 4:34:39 PM

It's always hard when people know they are going to lose.

McCain blew it by going negative and picking a looney for a running mate.

I wasn't totally thrilled about Obama... but when look at how the McCain campaign has degenerated into a bunch of big egos fighting their own campaign for political survival... I am just glad that McCain IS losing.

Palin is already trying to blame McCain, and claim her place as the "future" of the GOP. McCain's aides are already trying to paint Palin as a dunce and manipulator. McCain is trying to blame Bush, after embracing him. And other Republicans are planning on blaming them all.

They cannot lead us through these problems.

They are negative and destructive and divisive.

Posted by: Blip | Oct 29, 2008 3:43:05 PM

Given that pushing up Daisies is already canned.... perhaps it foreshadows the McCain-Palin vaudeville show, it too shall soon be cancelled.

Posted by: Cece | Oct 29, 2008 3:42:17 PM

lyn,

I already voted for Obama.

If your sons have so much experience AND go to church you should have called mccain I'm sure they could have gotten an interview for the vp slot.

can they see Russia from where they live? If not Cuba will do.

Posted by: Sickened | Oct 29, 2008 3:25:46 PM

AJEX:

First of all, thanks for your service to our country.

The first Gulf War.....the one where Bush's father said it was too dangerous for us to try and control Iraq and left Saddam in power. Wisdom that should have been listened to.

God Bless you on your economic succeeses - don't take them for granted. I just closed my business and layed off 8 employees yesterday.

Posted by: Sickened | Oct 29, 2008 3:20:31 PM

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