Those watching television these days are getting an elementary lesson on the importance of money in a national election.

It is difficult to watch any syndicated program on national television, a national or regional sports program or local programming without seeing a slick, well-produced ad promoting the candidacy of Barack Obama. In the coming days, Obama also will have a full half-hour commercial on at least three major networks in prime time – and there is a chance it will appear on other networks.

In addition to the tens of millions of dollars spent on television advertising, the Obama campaign has thousands of paid workers throughout the country organizing local and state campaign efforts. Without question the Obama campaign is the best organized presidential campaign in this nation’s history and, by far, the most expensive. Obama has outspent his opponent John McCain by many multiples.

Obama is a gifted speaker, better than McCain, and he expresses his goals and objectives in an effective manner.

On the other hand, McCain has a better, deeper record, and it’s debatable which candidate has the best and most practical vision for America’s future.

This being the case, this campaign should serve as an ideal case study on the question of whether money alone can buy an election.