And MSNBC didn’t even carry the speech– although they did broadcast it on a delay after midnight.

But some Democrats also believe that if the attack strategy prevails, it threatens the very essence of the candidate’s appeal.

Which is apparently what Vennochi actually thinks too:

Then, each candidate works feverishly to scratch the glitter off the other before election day. The shooting star must be brought down to earth, destroyed in the name of comparative politics.
Remember? Obama was going to change all that. That was his promise. That’s what made him different.

So Obama risks accusations of inauthenticity by doing A, or being revealed to be just a plain old politician by doing B, or…

Pundit-wise, Obama’s damned if he does, and damned if he doesn’t, no matter what. Thus the pundit-o-mat cancels itself out.