Network won't air paid political ad on Wednesday

ABC will stick with its regular prime-time schedule Wednesday night, opting to air a new episode of "Pushing Daisies" rather than a half-hour paid ad for presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Speculation about the network's plans has been going on for several weeks, after the Obama campaign said it was buying time on CBS, NBC and then FOX to air a half-hour ad from the Democratic nominee for president. ABC was the lone holdout, although the Washington Post reports that the network did actually offer to sell its airtime at 8 p.m. ET -- but did so too late.

"We were in discussion with the Obama campaign and had offered them the half-hour, but at this point that's not happening and 'Pushing Daisies' will air in its regular timeslot," an ABC spokesman tells the paper. That means "Pushing Daisies" will have only "America's Next Top Model" on The CW as entertainment-programming competition for its first half-hour.

Following the Obama ad -- which is expected to be a reiteration of his campaign themes and an exhortation for voters to get themselves to the polls -- the other networks will pick up their regular schedules. CBS will air "The New Adventures of Old Christine" at 8:30 instead of 8, and NBC will air a 90-minute edition of "Deal or No Deal."

FOX's plans are a little more in flux, thanks to the rain-shortened Game 5 of the World Series on Monday night. The conclusion of the game is scheduled to air Tuesday night, and Game 6, if necessary, is set for Wednesday (the Philadelphia Phillies lead the Tampa Bay Rays three games to one, and Monday's game was suspended in the middle of the sixth inning with the score tied 2-2). The start time for Game 6 would be moved back a half-hour to accommodate the Obama ad.

That schedule, however, hinges on the two teams actually being able to finish Game 5 on Tuesday. More bad weather is in the forecast for Philadelphia for Tuesday night, and that could bring further changes to the schedule.