As I said on Hannity & Colmes last night, I hope every American reads the Obama response to Jerome Corsi's book.  Corsi's from the fringe --we know that.  But Obama's responses to Corsi's charges are often risible, such as the assertion that Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn are "members of the establishment."  Geraghty's blogging away on portions of Obama's absurd set of non-responsive responses, and we are both waiting for Obama's reply to the Freddoso book. 

(Update: See Thrust and Parry's analysis of Obama's push-back on the fence btewwen Obama's house and Rezko's yard.)

After three weeks of blunders and pratfalls, senior Democrats have to be wondering whether Team Obama is up to the main event.  Yes, they had a great run --in the early spring, against an incompetent and divided Clinton operation, in an environment of media cravenness which has dissipated if not completely disappeared.  Now they botch a gimmie --defining Corsi as a nut while not putting attention on the charges he leveled-- and fumble the most important issue of the summer by calling by having the candidate call for U.N. mediation of the Russian rape of Georgia.

Recall that the Kerry campaign ended up having a major shake-up after the convention when the serious people were brought on board.  The message was righted and the candidate put on a message and the campaign tightened.

Senior party activists have to be worried that what they believe was a once-in-a-generation opportunity is slipping away amid tire gauges and the defense of unrepentant terrorists, melting in the heat of a campaign where Obama clings to defeat in Iraq and the idea of world citizenship that has played out so well in Georgia.

Could Axelrod be pushed aside?  Or at least the inner circle expanded just a bit to let in some folks who have been to this dance before?

Meanwhile, McCain's instincts were perfect this week, and the issues have shifted to his great benefit.  If he gets the veep right, the fall will open with what is essentially a dead heat, but with the old soldier's campaign hitting on all cylinders while Obama continues to be dogged by the thinnest resume of any major party candidate in modern times and a life story that was never vetted and is still only slightly known.