There are and always have been "first among equals" in the party that labels itself the friend of the working man or woman. Hollywood has been a fixture since the '60s, and extremely wealthy players are always much in evidence at gathering of the faithful.

This was supposed to be the year that Hillary harnessed all that structure and experience to the frustration of eight years of exile from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and swept the old guard back to power and position.

Now Senator Obama --who wasn't even elected to the Illinois state senate until Bill Clinton had won re-election to the White House-- is sweeping away all the expectations and pushing aside the old guard. Very exciting for the media and the new voters he is bringing along with him. Very unsettling for the folks who have been waiting in line for a long time.

The funny thing about upheavals is that they spread. If Barack Obama can push aside Clinton Inc, why can't young orators in the AFL-CIO do the same to John Sweeney, or rising stars in the civil rights movement topple Julian Bond or Jesse Jackson? Why is Kim Gandy in her second term at NOW when she has been unable to get Hillary over the goal line?

And if a third year senator can be the presidential nominee of the party, why not a third year senator the Majority Leader, or a third year Congressman the Speaker of the House?

The example of Barack Obama is unsettling many Republicans these days, but it has to be deeply disturbing to the old guard of the Democrats as well. After all, he owes them nothing or almost nothing.

He's the new man, with a new team, a new agenda, and very new demands.

And when the convention meets in Denver, he won't be the only new power in the party who thinks the time has come for change.