The big guns are definitely out to get him. Like prize fighters who detect a weakness in their opponent, Hillary Clinton and John McCain are pounding away at the Democrats leading contender for the Presidential nomination, hoping to cripple him on their march to fantasized victory. They bring up Rev. Jeremiah Wright, play the race card, say he's too weak to take on Osama.

And it seems to be working. Somehow the media is perceiving Obama to be a loser because he can't "close the deal" against Hillary Clinton. Eventhough he's actually ahead and on target to close it some time between now and the August convention. The only point in question is when not if. He has a seemingly insurmountable lead that could only be derailed by some scandal or gaffe of summit-like proportions. And that's what everyone's waiting for. Makes for good TV and keeps the ratings up. The media is not evil in this way. They are as their DNA made them, doing what comes naturally in their own self interest.

Obama is no longer scripting the story as well as he was in the early days. Like the military pundits paraded out on the national news shows, the media seems to be taking its lead story off Clinton campaign talking points. Negative campaigning serves the media interest because it provides a better story than the finer points of health care policy.

As Maureen Dowd astutely observed, Hillary looks all energized and ready for action, while Obama is like a fighter in the 8th round of a 15 round title fight. Tired, in search of a plan that served him well in the early rounds, but has since deserted him, He needs a second act and second wind to go with it?

And so do we, the electorate, need a high potency protein shake to get over a creeping case of primary fatigue. Rookies that many of us are at the game, drawn into it as much by the charisma and message of Barack Obama as by any inherent obligation to be good citizens, we jumped in early and gave it our all and now we're tired. Pros pace themselves knowing that they're going to need the energy to make it to the finish line. We need to regain our focus.

McCain spouts inanities like "Obama is Hamas choice for President" and "I will be Hamas' worst nightmare." And Hillary lets him get away with hit, collaborating with the enemy in her silent acquiescence.

The task for Obama is to get control of the narrative, the story line, the sound bite that plays it just the rght way. To get back on message about his campaign for hope and change and away from the machine politics that drives America and consumes the soul of Clinton and McCain. His strength lies in painting the big picture, a picture of hope that has invigorated millions of Americans. The wonk that he is, he can get down and dirty on poicy minutaie, but when he does he plays by their rules and he loses. His message must transcend politics and appeal to our better instincts. Barack Obama can only win on his own terms. It's not abut Jeremiah Wright or anything else that comes up along the way. It's how he handles himself in the trenches that matters. He's got to take the heat and come out caring and cool.

Obama poster created by Morning Breath. Available at Uppperplayground.