Well, some of us had a pretty good idea of what he stood for. He stood for the “fundamental” transformation of the United States of America — its devolution into a species of socialist dystopia. He stood, in short, for the Dependency Agenda, where the citizens are universally dependent on the government and its cadre of managers for all aspects of life.

Obama has dramatized that goal nicely in his three and a half years in office. And he won’t be able to seal it up or obscure it, though, as John Hinderaker notes, that won’t stop him from trying.

The Obama campaign’s current Bain Capital smear, which many media outlets have taken up, ranks with Quemoy, Matsu and Checkers as absurd campaign “issues.” But it is all that a flailing, out-of-ammo campaign has to offer.

That and a constant, hectoring effort to distract voters from his record by demonizing or barracking his opponents. It’s already past silly. Team Romney has been quick and effective about answering the charges. Already people are talking about the incredible shrinking Obama.  By the time November rolls around, all he’ll have left is the sympathy vote. But while people will vote for someone they think is an underdog, not many will pull the lever for someone they think is a pathetic loser whose empty egalitarian rhetoric was merely a ploy to perpetuate his own power.

More.