EgObamaniacal

If I were working on Barack's campaign, I would worry about the meme of "Obamania" morphing, slowly but surely, into one about Barack's narcissism -- think of it as "EgObamania."

The newest example? Joan Vennocchi's column in the Boston Globe, which comes after Charles Krauthammer's scathing essay in Friday's Washington Post. Vennocchi -- no friend to Republicans -- nonetheless had this to say: "There's no such thing as a humble politician. But when Obama looks into the mirror, he doesn't just see a president; he sees JFK."

The appearance of arrogance doesn't play well in America, where we are a democratic republic that understands we're elected mortals -- not gods, not royalty -- to be our leader. It wouldn't be becoming if it were manifested by someone like George H.W. Bush, who came to the presidency with a long and respected career of public service. But from a man of 46, who was serving in the Illinois state legislature four years ago today and who has never held a "real job" in the business world, it's nigh well unendurable.

If Barack is counting on "Obamania" to carry him over the finish line, he'd darn well better find a way to tamp down on both the appearance and reality of EgObamania.