Reality of Obama taking hold

Fred Thompson is not the only presidential candidate suffering under the weight of unrealistic expectations. It appears that exuberant Democrat primary voters are finding out that Barack Obama's appeal begins and ends with his personal story.

Hillary Clinton's cryogenic personality and tractor trailer full of personal and political baggage had opened a window of opportunity for a contrast candidate.

Yet, according to a recent national poll (Washington Post/ABC), Hillary's lead over Obama has ballooned to 33-points just as she has also emerged as the frontrunner in Iowa.

Hillary may be running her campaign with the ruthless efficiency of a Japanese automaker but Obama's pixie dust is losing its hold on Democrat primary voters because his second story, that of being a reformer challenging the system, does not comport with the reality of his past or the rhetoric of his present.

In the past, Obama spent his time in the Illinois State Senate as a toady for current Senate President Emil Jones, not exactly a name synonymous with government reform.

It was also during the time that he was being toted around our state's capitol by Emil Jones like some celebutant's cockapoo that he bonded with other purveyors of good government like Tony Rezko, currently awaiting the start of his federal corruption trial.

In the present, Obama talks about talking about big, bold ideas but he never quite gets around to offering any--unless you count his inspirational stand against American flag lapel pins.

Otherwise he's a biracial George McGovern, offering the same humdrum, big government liberalism pushed by the Left since the Great Society.

Even on the War in Iraq, his self-selected defining issue, Obama is awash in contradiction. He sponsored legislation calling for complete troop withdrawal by the end of March 2008 but then recently refused to commit to complete troop withdrawal by the end of his first term--that's 2013--were he elected President.

After watching Obama grope in the dark for the past nine months, it is not surprising he is down 33 points. It is surprising he is down only 33 points.