Voters' Views: Catherine Anne Smith

Presidential candidate Barack Obama has reached out to US voters in a half-hour, prime-time advertisement underlying his dominance of the airwaves.

Here Republican and Democratic voters share their views on the commercial and the Democrats' advertising advantage.

Catherine Anne SmithAdministrator | Democrat

The video was so slick it could have been orchestrated by Republican tactician Karl Rove

Age: 58

Lives: Decatur, Georgia

Occupation: Administrator

Last election voted:
Democrat

In 10 words or less: Unconventional, quick-witted, communicative, optimistic, humanistic, feminist, family-oriented, fun, diligent

Voters' Views: main page

"I resent that so much money is being spent on selling a candidate as if he were a car or a meal at a fast food store.

With so many Americans, including me, feeling the negative effects of the worldwide economic downturn, it seems hypocritical to throw so much money into this election.

On the other hand, this may be what is needed to overthrow the radical right who have controlled this country and the media for too long.

The video was so slick it could have been orchestrated by Republican electoral tactician Karl Rove.

McCain has already lost middle America. The stock market crash has made middle class Americans angry. Obama appeals to these people now because he, more than McCain, looks different than the politicians who are associated with the economic fiasco. People who lost thousands of dollars are looking to assign blame and this time those people are Republicans."

You can add your comments and questions on Catherine's views using the form below:

Your comments:

The reason Obama can spend this money is because people like me who are hurting donated small amounts anyway, in the belief that he can help stem the pain. For years, Republicans were the ones rolling in money, and not from millions of small donors, either. I certainly don't have a problem building up Obama's war chest.
Peahen, Salt Lake City, USA

I have to strongly disagree with you, Catherine, for two reasons. 1) Yes, it is really necessary to spend so much money on a candidate in order to wrest the country from the extreme right's control. Our country is a shambles as a result of narrowly lost elections for the last eight years. Therefore it is not hypocritical to throw so much money into this election. 2) This could not have been orchestrated by Karl Rove. If you understand Karl Rove at all, you know that his techniques are not particularly 'slick'. He manipulates the public through playing to fear and hatred.
RJ, Seattle, WA, USA

I can certainly see your point and in all honesty, he already has my support so it didn't affect me much. I think that Obama understands the impact that pop culture and marketing have on our society. He has utilised tools like the internet and political branding (see short lived faux-presidential seal) to create a new way of broadening your organization and base in terms of politics. Considering that a recent poll showed that 23% of people in my state still think that he is a Muslim tells me that he is spending his money well by targeting all states with his story and not just focusing on battlegrounds. After all, I want a president that sees every person and state as important and part of the process.
Rob Nite, Austin, TX

The money is an issue, but I figure, Obama starts with a handicap being a man of colour in the US so of course it costs more for him to get his message out. I also like the fact that he is spending money in small markets, some of which goes into those local economies.
Baruch, Hamilton, Montana, US