For months, presidential politics have dominated the American television airwaves. But in recent days, television viewers – and the candidates – have gotten a bit of a break.

Instead of the usual political debates, the blogosphere is abuzz with discussion over whether swimmer Michael Phelps will continue crushing world records. Instead of watching political rallies, many Americans cheered on Sudanese refugee Lopez Lomong holding the American flag during the opening ceremonies. But sports watchers are unlikely to get a complete break from politics – presumed Democratic nominee Barack Obama is running $5 million worth of ads, and his opponent John McCain is spending $6 million on Olympics television.

Marc Ganis, who heads Chicago-based SportsCorp Ltd., told America.gov he thinks commercials on NBC’s Olympic broadcasts could be successful because they will be seen by a “broad cross-section” of Americans. (See “National Ads in Olympics Seen as Smart Strategy.”)

The Olympics does not mean the campaigns have gone silent. John McCain is busy meeting voters in swing states like Pennsylvania and Iowa. And while Barack Obama is taking a week-long vacation in Hawaii, his surrogates are speaking for him across the country. With the ongoing crisis in Georgia, both candidates continue to make major headlines.

This break is likely short-lived. With the Democratic National Convention to begin August 25, just a day after the Olympics conclude, political experts anticipate Obama announcing his vice presidential nominee next week. And since the potential VP picks is one of the most-talked about stories in presidential politics, it’s likely Phelps’ gold medals may take a back seat to politics after all.

For more on the Olympics, check out America.gov’s Sports Web site.