Aside from well-publicized attacks from Fox News, Senator Barack Obama has faced very little scrutiny from the mainstream media. For the most part, he is hailed as a "rock star" candidate with legions of adoring supporters in tow.
Now, as the first quarter of 2007 draws to a close, the reality of a marathon campaign sets in. The mainstream media has finally shown Obama in a more realistic lens. Having experienced his first minor missteps in recent weeks, the Illinois Senator finds his star settling back to Earth, at least for the time being.
Of even greater concern, however, is the notion that Obama has thus far soared on style and alone, and that unless he takes some serious policy stances, and soon, he may find himself flying on vapors.
Cheers to the mainstream press for asking a little more of Obama at a time when he really needs to capitalize on his momentum and differentiate himself from the competition on a policy level.
When campaigns report their quarterly fundraising numbers on March 31st, Hillary Clinton should come up strong, especially following her visit to California. Naturally, speculation will percolate whether Obama can compete with the Clinton money machine, especially with so much of the campaign trail left to blaze.
This subtle change of sentiment on behalf of the mainstream media, coupled with increased fundraising pressure from Clinton, means that now is the perfect time for Obama to get serious , to satisfy those Democrats who are sitting on the fence, hungry for serious policy discussion.
What subjects can Obama tackle to set himself apart from the pack? He's proven himself on the Iraq issue. Health Care is Hillary's pet project. The economy shouldn't be a major issue until gasoline breaks above $3.00 again.
Spring Break is over, Senator Obama. Let's hear more of what you have to say about education.
First quarter fundraising draws to a close this Saturday, March 31st, and Senator Barack Obama has easily surpassed his fundraising goals of 75,000 supporters and 100,000 donations. 
