From Hope to Fear - There Won't Be Any Unicorns in Obama's 2012 Campaign

Even New York Magazine recognizes that the Obama campaign of 2012 will look very different from the campaign of 2008 (from Morning Jolt):

From Hope and Change to Fear and More of the Same

New York magazine analyzes the president's reelection campaign:

Thus, to a very real degree, 2008's candidate of hope stands poised to become 2012's candidate of fear. For many Democrats, this is just fine and dandy, for they believe that in the Romney-Republican agenda there is plenty to be scared of. For others in the party in both politics and business, however, the new Obama posture is cause for concern. From the gay-­marriage decision to the onslaught on Bain, they see the president and his team as coming across as too divisive, too conventional, and too nakedly political, putting at risk Obama's greatest asset -- his likability -- with the voters in the middle of the electorate who will ultimately decide his fate.

Whichever side is right, one thing is undeniable. For anyone still starry-eyed about Obama, the months ahead will provide a bracing revelation about what he truly is: not a savior, not a saint, not a man above the fray, but a brass-knuckled, pipe-hitting, red-in-tooth-and-claw brawler determined to do what is necessary to stay in power -- in other words, a politician.

Three questions: First, is anyone still starry-eyed about Obama? Two, if you're still starry-eyed at this point, with the results he has generated, would a nasty, negative campaign really be what removes the stars from your eyes? And third . . . considering that a significant number of us never saw Obama as a savior and a saint, and always argued that he was a ruthless politician . . . wouldn't it behoove the bright minds at New York magazine to acknowledge we were right?

This campaign will be Chicago politics at its worst. There will be an attempt to disqualify Romney in the eyes of voters with attacks on his character, religion, business history, family, politics...you name it.  And Obama will have the media in his pocket the whole way, helping to lead the charge against Romney and circling the White House to protect it from any scrutiny.  It would be entertaining if not so potentially dangerous.