Phillies Phans React to Obama’s 30-Minute Infomercial and Its Effect on the World Series

As Philadelphia waited for the first ball to cross the plate in Game 5 of the World Series – Barack Obama made his last pitch for the Presidency. The Democratic presidential candidate launched a 30-minute campaign advertisement Wednesday night in which he paralleled his plans for the presidency with profiles of people in America. The costly commercial, which set the Obama campaign back over $3 million, detailed Obama’s policies on healthcare, education, energy, and the all-important economy. Although the ad was heralded by many as a huge success, some political pundits saw Obama’s last bid for the big league as excessive – or even presumptuous.  But perhaps the biggest backlash won’t be from desks in Washington – but from the streets of Philadelphia.

Philadelphia may have waited almost 30 years for the Phillies to win a World Series – but they would have to wait just 30 minutes more Wednesday night. Sen. Obama’s infomercial was broadcast at 8 p.m. EST on three broadcast and two cable stations - including FOX, the host channel of the 2008 World Series of Baseball. As a result, Game 5 was pushed back to 8:37 p.m., after already being postponed Monday due to inhospitable weather.

A delayed baseball game may seem silly and inconsequential when compared with the significance of the election, but to Philadelphia “Phans” – there’s nothing silly about the Phillies.  If hockey moms are pit bulls in lipstick, then Phillies fans are velociraptors in face paint. Philadelphians are widely regarded as among the most passionate fans in professional sports – and some don’t take kindly to politics infringing upon their game.

“This could be the single most memorable moment in Philadelphia sports history for decades.” Michael Swarr, 23, a diehard Phillies fan from Wilmington, DE, thinks the Politics of Hope shouldn’t compete for time with the hope of Philadelphia. “The town hasn’t won a championship since 1983, and the Phillies haven’t won since 1980. So much hope is riding on this single game – I don’t think it’s fair for a presidential campaign to interfere. ”

This response begs the question: Did Obama’s infomercial strike out with Philadelphia? Although Obama enjoyed an 8 percentage point lead over McCain among registered voters in an Oct. 29 Gallup poll, he can’t afford to give up any runs to McCain this late in the game – especially in battleground Pennsylvania. According to Rasmussen Reports polls, Obama enjoys a 7 point margin over McCain in PA. However, Democrats only won precarious Pennsylvania by a mere 144,000 votes out of nearly 6 million in the 2004 presidential election. Fortunately for Obama, not all Phillies fans saw the infomercial as a slight to their favorite team.

Some fans, like Dan DeMento of Villanova, PA, don’t think they should have to play favorites with baseball and the election. “I'm a Phillies fan and an America fan. Because I'm also an Obama fan, I wasn't bothered at all by what happened tonight. I've listened to a complete idiot for eight years, so a half hour spent watching an intelligent man talk about our country is well worth my time.” Dan, 24, insists a delay in Game 5 won’t change his vote on Nov. 4. “It will not influence my vote because my mind was made up a long time ago.”

Dan wasn’t the only one watching. CNN estimates that over 26 million people watched Obama’s program on CBS, NBC, and FOX. Chris McIntyre of Garnet Valley, PA also tuned in to both Obama’s closing argument and the closing of the World Series. Chris, 23, a Philadelphia fan and Sen. Obama supporter, maintains that he has long supported both the Phillies and Obama – before they were frontrunners. “I made my mind up about Obama a long time ago, and I’ve been a Phillies fan since I was a kid. Not much is going to sway my opinion of either, particularly not a campaign ad. Who cares? The game was only pushed back 37 minutes.”

Although Philadelphia and Delaware are true “Blue” areas for Obama, some of those who wear Phillies red – think “Red” as well. “There are still many issues that make me uneasy about [Obama’s] almost certain nomination to the office of president. One small thing is the persistent commercials on the voting past of Sen. McCain saying that he has voted with President Bush over 93% of the time, when Obama himself has voted down party lines over 98 % of the time.” James Jeffers of Hockessin, DE, is both a Phillies fan and a registered Republican. However, James, 25, was impressed with the Senator’s efforts. “I thought that Obama did a great job. He was clear, confident and came across as truly genuine. I think that people’s minds were made up by now anyway, but if not this definitely was a good method to push the independents or those who are still ‘on the fence’ to side with voting for Obama.”

Ashleigh Latonick, a Democratic “Phanatic,” was also impressed with Obama’s efforts to recruit independence voters to the Blue team – particularly among female fans like herself. “I think the broadcast was simply timed to sway some late deciding voters, primarily women. I say this because that demographic is the most likely to jump on the baseball band wagon for the World Series, and, pay at least as much attention to the ad as the last 3 innings.” Ashleigh, 22, works as a paralegal in a law firm in Wilmington – and knows a convincing argument when she sees one. “I made up my mind a long time ago, but I think the ad has the potential to influence many voters. It's a reflection of Obama's legal career; the ad was one hell of a closing argument.”

Dave Poppiti of Wilmington, DE didn’t let the small delay caused by Obama’s infomercial rain on his parade – especially after the torrential downpour that cut Game 5 short on Monday.“The game was already postponed, so pushing it back 37 minutes didn't really matter.” Although most “Phans” weren’t peeved by the delayed game, Dave insists that Philadelphians are as temperamental as baseball and the weather. “I will say this; if the Phils lost [Obama] would be blamed by many and it might have swayed their vote.”

Fortunately for Obama, all is “Sunny in Philadelphia” today after the Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3. But Ashleigh thinks that the fans – and opposing candidates for that matter – shouldn’t play sore loser regardless. To her, in the worlds of baseball and politics – everything is fair play. “As to whether the ad was excessive, well I guess that's personal opinion. I would liken it to a high score baseball game; people complain when the other team runs up the score, but it doesn't change the fact that they still won.”

-      Stephanie Woods