'Devack Obatrick,' Part II
JustWords-gate is hurting Obama. But it's more than just the lifting of a few paragraphs from Deval's speeches: The bubble may have burst on Obama. From Kevin Drum:

This backlash meme is already widespread, and you can almost feel in the air that it's about to explode into a feeding frenzy. In other words, it ain't over yet. Wisconsin and the two weeks after it should be interesting, shouldn't they?

Then there are those fickle Gen-Xers:

As an ironic, contrarian, so-hip-it-hurts Gen X-er, I just can't love you anymore. I can't like you because … because, well, everyone else does. And suddenly supporting you just seems soooo last week.

There's also Michelle's 'first time' comment that's equally damaging in its own pricking-the-bubble way. Mickey: "For whatever reason, she sure seems to have a non-trivial chip on her shoulder and it's not a winning quality." ... For the record: I'm rooting for Obama to beat Hillary. But I'm not wild about the guy. There is something to the it's-just-rhetoric argument. Haven't we learned anything about high expectations after Deval? Still, I'd prefer to choose between McCain and Obama this November. Anyone but Billary. ... P.S. -- Hub Blog's Manhattan WMD Spy got a laugh out of Obama's camp referring to Hillary as 'Jaws.' The image of a giant fin circling Obama sticks to the mind. ... Just when you thought it was safe to declare a probable winner in the Dem race. ....

Update -- Kevin: 'Moonbat Karaoke.' ... David's ultimately right: JustWords-gate, for now, is just an 'unwanted distraction.' But these things have a way of adding up -- and I think they're starting to add up quickly. ...

Update II -- More at Adam's site. ... BTW: I'm not saying this is the 'beginning of the end' for Obama. Stealing a line from Churchill in these stealing-lines days, it's more a case of the 'end of the beginning' for Obama, who's been brought down to earth by the affair. It's a toss-up, in my opinion, who's going to win the Dem nomination. ...

Update III -- David Brooks: 'Obama Comedown Syndrome' (for reasons other than JustWords-gate).

Update IV -- Adam R:

The real question, I think, is where Axelrod's thoughts and convictions end and Obama's and Patrick's begin.

Or, to put it differently: could Obama not sound like Patrick if he wanted to?

  ¶ 8:06 AM