Sounds like the honeymoon is over

Go on over to Alternet and read an article entitled "Here Come the Media Attacks on Obama". Here's how it gets started:

With Sen. Barack Obama now emerging as the Democratic front-runner, clear signs suggest that his press treatment will soon change and that the media will fall back into their routine of viewing -- and critiquing -- leading Democrats through the eyes of Republican spin.

Just last week, we saw how a single line from a Michelle Obama speech was seized upon by conservative partisans, led by Fox News, to suggest she is not patriotic, and how that attack was given a wider airing in the mainstream press. (CNN casually raised questions about Barack Obama's patriotism, as well.) We've also seen the media-manufactured narrative take root that Obama is the leader of a cultish following (more on that below), which dovetails with the creeping media meme
that Obama is a phony.

Meanwhile, in Sunday's New York Times, Obama was twice described as being overly effeminate: He's an "elusive starlet" who prefers "playing the tease," while espousing a "feminine management style." Compare that to the media's portrayal of Republican Sen. John McCain as sort of a man's man, and it's obvious where those competing narratives are headed.

Writing at Slate.com, John Dickerson announced he's had enough of the Obama euphoria: "Isn't there a natural limit to our enthusiasm for to this kind of sweeping phenomenon?" By "our," I suppose Dickerson meant voters, but my hunch is he was likely referring to journalists and how they had reached their "natural limit." I'm not sure this foreshadows a full-fledged media backlash against Obama, but it certainly suggests a fundamental shift is on the horizon. The pendulum is swinging.

This was so, so predictable. I hope the Obama people are truly prepared for the nastiness that's coming.

Personally, I think either Clinton or Obama would make a fine president. What really bothers me about Democrats, however, is our lack of party discipline. We should not be tearing each other apart during the primaries which is only giving free ammunition to the Republicans. Heck, I'm starting to wish that our party's nominee was secretly chosen by people in a smoke-filled room.

UPDATE: Here's someone's comment I found on AMERICAblog:

Anybody remember the Twiglight Zone episode called "The Shelter"? The two sides of this Dem campaign are acting like the insane mob who are willing to do anything to get into the only bomb shelter available, including battering the door down and thereby making the shelter useless. I sure hope we can all stand to look at each other when this is over. I'm afraid the experience may detroy us all.

I think the writer has a really good point.