Winter (Spring, Summer and Fall) of Their Discontent

As I’ve mentioned before, one thing running TPM affords us is a barometer, a unique window into the collective minds of the different candidates’ supporters. Those most apt to hit the panic button are often those most ready to hit the send button. So it’s important not to over-interpret the evidence. But we do seem to have come to some sort crisis of confidence for a number of Obama supporters. It all seems to have come together in the last few days, even the last 48 hours. Certainly Pennsylvania has something do it with it; and I think Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s new kick Obama in groin-athon is playing a big role too. Perhaps yesterday’s SurveyUSA poll showing Obama still markedly behind in Indiana is somewhere in there as well. There’s very little I’ve seen from this admittedly fragmentary sample that shows Obama supporters buying into the critique of Obama, more a sense of exhaustion and frustration or fear that he can’t get the onslaught to stop or isn’t responding to it vocally or forcefully enough.