Just when you thought that Len Berman’s halftime interviews during Monday Night Football last night was the last time we’d see the candidates before the election, the Obama campaign managed a little public relations bump this morning, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s TV blog:

Barack Obama has won the first minor battle of Election Day.

In a masterful stroke of media manipulation, Obama hijacked the final half hour of the morning news programs–Today, Good Morning America, even Fox & Friends — by showing up at his polling place at about 8:30, then taking more than 20 minutes to vote, with every second covered around the dial.

Even better it was a touching family scene as his two daughters were allowed to look on as Obama and his wife Michelle cast their ballots. Actually, a lot of the time he was just standing soaking up the free TV face time.

When the Democratic presidential candidate finally finished, as perfectly timed as synchronized swimming, runningmate Joe Biden emerged from his car to vote in Delaware, grabbing a few more minutes of TV time.

Meanwhile, John McCain and Sarah Palin were nowhere to be seen. He was supposed to vote later in the morning — when most of America would be at work or school and nowhere near a TV.

Early score: Obama-Biden 2, McCain-Palin 0.