Obama has been having a rough time of late. I needn’t elaborate on it - it’s all over the news and the pundits have been buzzing about the effect of Clinton’s negativity on him. And while Clinton is being weighed down by a gaffe-prone Bill, Obama’s immediate troubles come in the form of his former pastor - and perhaps a growing case of buyer’s remorse amongst some of a wearying electorate. What can he do to turn this around? Not much in my opinion. Not while the primary continues. Karl Rove made a number of suggestions how he might regain his lead - and as much as I hate Rove, he’s a canny political operator - all of which sound pretty solid.

I think that, in the end, Obama’s star has faded along with his novelty. His meteoric rise was as much the result of the freshness of his figure than anything else he had to offer. That time has now passed; he’ll have to find - grow into - a new, more sustainable persona for the long haul.