My favorite line from Obama’s acceptance speech last night: “If you’re sick of hearing me approve this message, believe me — so am I.”

Of course, the ridiculous “I approve this message” stuff is a remnant of the McCain-Feingold law. It was believed that this would discourage negative ads (how’d that work?) and, because challengers tend to rely more on negative ads than incumbents, it was believed it would benefit incumbents. Both goals are illegitimate, but fortunately (especially given goal #2) the provision failed.

The problem is, it lingers on, taking up ten to fifteen percent of the typical TV ad. You may think that that three to five seconds isn’t much, but there is a lot a candidate – or anyone – can convey in three to five seconds that would be far more helpful to voters than “I’m Debbie Wasserman Shultz and I approved this message.” Some examples:

• “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”
• “Give me liberty, or give me death.”
• “Where’s the beef?”
• “Are you better off than you were four years ago?”
• “Mr. Gorbachev, Tear down this wall!”
• “Ich bin ein Berliner.”
• “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
• “I will never raise your taxes.”
• “I support abortion rights.”
• “I will assure a Godless America governed by devil-worshippers.”
• “I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message.”