Didn't candidates run 30-minute network ads in past elections too?

[Carl Yasutomo]

I haven't lived in the US for 12 years now, but I remember in elections past (1988 and 1992) that both candidates bought 30 minutes of air time to run long campaign videos in the last days before the election. So why is the Obama ad buy regarded as such a big deal? Is it because he bought time on more networks than usual? Is McCain not planning to air a long ad this year?

[global1]

1. McCain Doesn't Have To Buy A 30- Minute Ad - MSNBC This A.M. Gave Palin & Him......

a freebie. First Palin's energy address and now McCain's patented stump speech - looks like they are running both in their entirety.

I still think that McCain has ringers in the crowd that boo, cheer and chant on cue. His crowds sound so 'fakey'.

All he has are a series of one-liners and the ringers in the crowd make noise after each line. Contrived. Disingenuous. Lame.

[nc4bo]

3. It's sickening but I take heart that the last thing people remember tonight will be 30 minutes of

Obama & Co. tonight.

So let the ass clowns continue their 3-ring circus to their hearts content and let Obama have the last word tonight.

[CK_John]

2. Ross Perot did one with charts and graphs. n/t

[WI_DEM]

4. Yes, it was common especially from 1952-1972