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| Gore backs Obama bid in key state | Gore backs Obama bid in key state |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Former Vice-President Al Gore is preparing to campaign for Barack Obama in Florida, a state Mr Gore lost very narrowly in his 2000 presidential bid. | Former Vice-President Al Gore is preparing to campaign for Barack Obama in Florida, a state Mr Gore lost very narrowly in his 2000 presidential bid. |
| Mr Obama's Republican rival John McCain is heading to the key state of Ohio. | Mr Obama's Republican rival John McCain is heading to the key state of Ohio. |
| On Wednesday evening, Mr Obama aired a half-hour, prime-time advert on seven US TV channels, before holding a rally with former president Bill Clinton. | On Wednesday evening, Mr Obama aired a half-hour, prime-time advert on seven US TV channels, before holding a rally with former president Bill Clinton. |
| Polls suggest Mr Obama is still ahead of Mr McCain in most swing states, and holds a solid lead in national polls. | Polls suggest Mr Obama is still ahead of Mr McCain in most swing states, and holds a solid lead in national polls. |
| Mr Gore is scheduled to appear in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with his wife, Tipper. | Mr Gore is scheduled to appear in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with his wife, Tipper. |
| He lost the state of Florida in 2000 by just 537 votes, triggering a recount, which was controversially halted by the US Supreme Court. | He lost the state of Florida in 2000 by just 537 votes, triggering a recount, which was controversially halted by the US Supreme Court. |
| Had he won the state, he would have won the presidential election. | Had he won the state, he would have won the presidential election. |
| 'Not perfect' | 'Not perfect' |
| Mr Obama's half-hour TV spot was shown on CBS, Fox and NBC, at a cost of about $1m (£630,000) per network, as well as on Spanish language channel Univision, BET, MSNBC and TV One. | Mr Obama's half-hour TV spot was shown on CBS, Fox and NBC, at a cost of about $1m (£630,000) per network, as well as on Spanish language channel Univision, BET, MSNBC and TV One. |
| The advertisement featured interviews with Americans talking about difficulties in their lives, as well as clips of various political and business figures saying why they supported Mr Obama. | The advertisement featured interviews with Americans talking about difficulties in their lives, as well as clips of various political and business figures saying why they supported Mr Obama. |
| Bill Clinton joined Barack Obama on stage at a rally in FloridaIt showed footage of Mr Obama on the campaign trail, outlining his policies and talking about his background. | Bill Clinton joined Barack Obama on stage at a rally in FloridaIt showed footage of Mr Obama on the campaign trail, outlining his policies and talking about his background. |
| There was no mention of Mr McCain or the Republican Party. | There was no mention of Mr McCain or the Republican Party. |
| "I will not be a perfect president," said Mr Obama. "But I can promise you this - I will always tell you what I think and where I stand." | "I will not be a perfect president," said Mr Obama. "But I can promise you this - I will always tell you what I think and where I stand." |
| The broadcast ended with Mr Obama speaking live from a rally in Florida, where he urged his supporters to continue to campaign on his behalf in the final days before the election. | The broadcast ended with Mr Obama speaking live from a rally in Florida, where he urged his supporters to continue to campaign on his behalf in the final days before the election. |
| The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says that while it is not unheard of for American politicians to buy large chunks of television time - millionaire Ross Perot did it in 1992 - Mr Obama's move is unprecedented in its scope. | The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says that while it is not unheard of for American politicians to buy large chunks of television time - millionaire Ross Perot did it in 1992 - Mr Obama's move is unprecedented in its scope. |
| Only one of the major TV networks, ABC, did not run the film - which has been weeks in the making - and Fox News decided not to broadcast its pre-game show ahead of the fifth game of the baseball World Series in order to accommodate it. | Only one of the major TV networks, ABC, did not run the film - which has been weeks in the making - and Fox News decided not to broadcast its pre-game show ahead of the fifth game of the baseball World Series in order to accommodate it. |
| 'Great threats' | 'Great threats' |
| Later on Wednesday, Mr Obama appeared at his first joint rally with former US President Bill Clinton. | Later on Wednesday, Mr Obama appeared at his first joint rally with former US President Bill Clinton. |
| The question is whether this is a man who has what it takes to protect America John McCain Obama campaign's media blitzkrieg class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/matthewprice/2008/10/defiant_in_defiance.html">McCain defiant in Defiance | |
| Mr Clinton, whose wife Hillary was defeated in the race for the Democratic candidacy, praised Mr Obama, saying he had the ability to make decisions and bring about change. | Mr Clinton, whose wife Hillary was defeated in the race for the Democratic candidacy, praised Mr Obama, saying he had the ability to make decisions and bring about change. |
| He told supporters at the Florida rally they should not be complacent but try to persuade their friends and neighbours to vote for Mr Obama. | He told supporters at the Florida rally they should not be complacent but try to persuade their friends and neighbours to vote for Mr Obama. |
| "We have so much promise and so much peril. This man should be our president," said Mr Clinton. | "We have so much promise and so much peril. This man should be our president," said Mr Clinton. |
| In a speech to supporters in Tampa, Mr McCain had questioned his rival's security credentials, saying: "The question is whether this is a man who has what it takes to protect America from Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda and the other great threats in the world." | In a speech to supporters in Tampa, Mr McCain had questioned his rival's security credentials, saying: "The question is whether this is a man who has what it takes to protect America from Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda and the other great threats in the world." |
| "He has given no reason to answer in the affirmative". | "He has given no reason to answer in the affirmative". |
| Mr McCain's assault on his opponent's defence and security policies came after a meeting with a number of senior former military officials. | Mr McCain's assault on his opponent's defence and security policies came after a meeting with a number of senior former military officials. |
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| US election polltracker in full | US election polltracker in full |
| Mr McCain had also criticised his rival's tax policies, while at a campaign event in Miami. | Mr McCain had also criticised his rival's tax policies, while at a campaign event in Miami. |
| "This is the fundamental difference between Senator Obama and me," he said. | "This is the fundamental difference between Senator Obama and me," he said. |
| "He thinks taxes are too low, and I think that spending is too high." | "He thinks taxes are too low, and I think that spending is too high." |
| Mr Obama, at an event in North Carolina, poured scorn on Mr McCain's recent accusations that he is a "socialist". | Mr Obama, at an event in North Carolina, poured scorn on Mr McCain's recent accusations that he is a "socialist". |
| "By the end of the week, he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in Kindergarten," he told supporters. | "By the end of the week, he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in Kindergarten," he told supporters. |
| Recent polls from CNN/Opinion Research suggest that Mr Obama leads Mr McCain by four points in Ohio, by six points in North Carolina and by seven points in Nevada, all states won by George W Bush in 2004. | Recent polls from CNN/Opinion Research suggest that Mr Obama leads Mr McCain by four points in Ohio, by six points in North Carolina and by seven points in Nevada, all states won by George W Bush in 2004. |
| The latest Rasmussen poll has Mr Obama leading Mr McCain nationally by 51% to 46%. | The latest Rasmussen poll has Mr Obama leading Mr McCain nationally by 51% to 46%. |
| Are you an American voter? Did you watch Mr Obama's TV advert? Were you impressed by what he said? Send your comment using the form below: | Are you an American voter? Did you watch Mr Obama's TV advert? Were you impressed by what he said? Send your comment using the form below: |