With appearances scheduled in eight key states, an optimistic Obama embarks on the final stretch of his presidential campaign, much buoyed by a half-hour prime-time television advertisement campaign 26-million Americans watched and after receiving an impressive endorsement from former president Bill Clinton.

The ad, which aired on seven networks and cable stations was paid for by the Democratic candidate’s campaign.  Eschewing any attacks on Republican John McCain, it remained focused on portraying Barack Obama as a man who was in touch with the concerns of ordinary Americans.

On the other hand, in an attempt to reverse Obama’s lead in the polls, the Republicans echoed McCain’s remarks about the Obama presidency inviting an international crisis, revived an ad. targeting Obama’s readiness to hold talks with Iran.  ‘And we know well what one of those crises could be: the success of the Iranian regime in its programme of acquiring nuclear weapons,’ so said McCain.

Sticking to his economic message, Obama showed that the economy rather than security topped his election agenda.  He stated the decline in US growth wasn’t an accident, but a direct result of Bush administration’s Wall-Street-first, Main-Street-last policies, which McCain had been embracing for the last 8-years.  To quote him at a campaign stop in Sarasota, Florida: ‘If you want to know where John McCain will drive this economy, just look in the rear view mirror because when it comes to our economic policies, John McCain has been right next to George Bush.  He’s been sitting there in the passenger seat ready to take over.’

Campaigning in Virginia and Missouri and after an outdoor rally in Florida Wednesday evening, Obama for the first time during the campaign appeared alongside Mr. Clinton, who told the 35,000 crowd ‘…the next president of the United States should be, and with your help, will be, Senator Barack Obama.’
 
Senator McCain campaigning in Defiance, Ohio yesterday, on his part chose to defend his choice of running mate Sarah Palin.