A Deader Cat

Barack's dead cat bounce came with an even bigger thud than it seemed at first. Independents, the crowd that is most in play, have been moving toward McCain over the past month. Keep in mind, the past month has focused almost entirely on the Democratic race and Barack's coronation, with McCain pushed far into the Barackground.

In the first Washington Post-ABC News poll since the Democratic nomination contest ended, Obama and McCain run evenly among political independents, a shift toward the presumptive Republican nominee over the past month. On the issues, independents see McCain as more credible on fighting terrorism and are split evenly on who is the stronger leader and better on the Iraq war.

Why is it that with McCain in the Barackground, and the spotlight shining on him, Barack has lost ground?

The presumptive Democratic nominee emerged from his primary-season battle against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton with improved personal ratings overall, but with no appreciable gain in the head-to-head competition with McCain. Majorities view both men favorably, but about twice as many said they have a "strongly favorable" impression of Obama as said so of McCain.

Despite media hype to the contrary, Republicans are more united behind McCain than are Democrats behind Obama.

But Obama still has some work to do to unite the Democratic Party. Almost nine in 10 Republicans now support McCain, while not quite eight in 10 Democrats said they support Obama.

What's going on?

Nearly a quarter of those who said they favored Clinton over Obama for the nomination currently prefer McCain for the general election, unchanged from polls taken before Clinton suspended her campaign.

At a time when he should be getting his highest numbers, absolutely soaring, there is a lack of excitement. It's as if, somehow, Barack has found the ceiling of potential support for a radical Democrat.

Some call it "Wright Syndrome." Liberals, who politicize racial tensions at every turn, will say it's racism. But whatever the explanation, there's obviously something that needs explaining. Because the media continues to shower Barack with headlines like this.

Obama thrills Detroit crowd of 20,000

Endorsement from Gore adds to the excitement

and

Gore backing for Obama revives joint ticket talk

and

Obama May Get Rural Votes on Farm-Subsidy Support

and

Clinton Fundraisers Ready to Aid Obama, Party

As if writing for the Democratic Party, story after story paints this race as if it is about the Star, Barack, and a supporting cast, which includes "John McCain as..... The Republican.