I predicted earlier in the week that you would no doubt start hearing reports from within the Democratic Party questioning the Obama leadership, strategy and organization. It has begun. I originally aid we would probably see them in a few weeks, but the last few days of missteps “you can put lipstick on a pig” from the Obama team seems to have brought them out sooner.

First is this piece entitled McCain Poll Surge, Fundraising Give Democrats Election Jitters which includes the statement that the Obama camp’s “novelty has worn off,” from Representative Bill Pascrell of New Jersey. Also the statement that this has been the Republicans “best week” Representative Artur Davis. The positives and reassurances come from Democratic “strategists” in the piece. Why is this important? Let me explain.

Democratic strategists are basically paid PR people, the sky could be falling and they would find a way to tell you why it is good for land owners, “now your land comes with sky!” Representatives will give you the opposite, constantly looking at the potential turnout for their Party in a Presidential election for fear that it will be low. Why do they fear it? Because the higher the party turnout in a general on their side and the lower the turnout on the other side, the better their chances at election.

Most people pay attention to the top of the ticket and not their Congressional races. So if they go in loving Democrats, they are more likely to vote down the line. So in signs of trouble, they are the first and most effected. They are also the most willing to jump ship and separate themselves from a candidate they see as a dud.

Then there is the article Autumn Angst: Dems fret about Obama. In this article you will find, “It’s more than an increased anxiety,” from Bill Clinton strategist “It’s a palpable frustration. Deep-seated unease in the sense that the message has gotten away from them.”

Former Dean/Edwards strategist Joe Trippi said of the Obama teams reaction to Sarah Palin, “They were set up to run ‘experience versus change,’ what they had run [against Hillary] Clinton… and I think Palin clearly moved that to be change or reform, versus change. They are adjusting to that and that threw them off balance a little bit.”

Meanwhile someone described as a “major Democratic fundraiser” had a bleaker assessment, “I’m so depressed. It’s happening again. It’s a nightmare.”

So what should we take from this?

Not much for the moment. If there is one story “journalists” like writing more than a persons demise it is their comeback, their ability to rise from the ashes. Still, watching the decline of the Obama love machine in the press has been an interesting and unsettling phenomenon. Interesting because it shows a potential sense of unease, unsettling because for so long the media have been so adamant about electing Obama. This is all very strange and I am just waiting for things to return to normal.