Trading Free Good Press for Paid?

Over at Politico, Ken Vogel points out that with his highly self-interested campaign finance flip flop, Barack may have taken some of the patina off his glowing "change" image for editors.

The point is a valid one, but clearly, Barack's made the calculation that it's in his interest to swap the swooning free press he's received for the option to buy nearly unlimited paid advertising -- and much else.

Obama's switch should serve as a wake-up call to the press that their JFK-esque youthful idealistic reformer may have more attributes of an old-time Chicago pol than they'd like to acknowledge.

Will it do Barack any lasting damage? Perhaps on the margins. But his gamble will pay off. For the most part, his coverage will be positive. That's because the MSM looooves liberals. And Barack is, above all, a liberal.