Brooks: Obama the man, no more myth or legend

David Brooks sets Obama in his sights today with a column on how far he has plummeted back to earth with his campaign rhetoric. The same columnist that once penned Run Barack Run now seems disillusioned as the campaign grinds along.

Obama has certainly looked more mortal than he did at the height of the "Yes, We Can!" era. Oprah came down from her pop-culture mountain top and proclaimed him "the one." The world was convinced that America was going to elect it's first black president. But the political meat grinder, sharper and with more blades than ever has pulled Obama into the fray. It took a year and more media attention that perhaps any primary season in history to make it happen.

The question now is how does he strike the balance? How does he convince a jaded public "yes we can!" while fending off attacks about Jeremiah Wright, and calling people bitter. The answer comes in maintaining the positive campaign narrative he established. Reminding us that we want and need a president that can mobilize the nation's young and intelligent, that can engage congress, and reform the way our government works.

Then remind us all that he is the only one that can do that.