Go for the bronze? TAN
House-warming presence? GASHEAT [note hyphen and final -
ence]
Bush tour SAFARI [I thought George]
Building blocks ADOBES [literally]
Contest in which you try to get your opponent on your side TUGOFWAR [never thought of it that way]
It paves the way TAR
Prime letters? USDA [prime meat, that is]
Comedy first baseman WHO ["Who's on first" Abbott & Costello routine]
It's read often at conventions NAMETAG [I was thinking speech]
Really big show EXPO [Ed Sullivan's continual promise]
Lesser of two evils, metaphorically for FRYINGPAN is not quite right. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire" suggests being no better off for the change. The frying pan is not a lesser evil than the fire; you're cooked either way.
Casa chamber SALA [SALA is the first "word" of the Disney song "Bibbidi Bobbedi Boo" from
Cinderella]
That, in Toledo ESO [I think there was a recent hit song called "Eso Besso"]
Ad man theme was fun: find the firm's name in a message it might advertise. Hidden are:
El Al
ETV
UPS
Ford
L'Oreal