Reduxing Camelot?

As various (more responsible?) media sources have begun to play past the election and assume an Obama victory, they are beginning to ramp up production of the sort of mythology that transforms a president into an icon.

Submitted for your consideration:
1. This photo shoot from Pennsylvania in which Omama stumps in jeans and a fleece-like jacket, in the rain. It isn't that difficult to make a politician look cool in a photograph, but when's the last time you saw someone try to do it? Further, does this remind anyone else of the episode of the West Wing where Martin Sheen gives a speech after walking through a downpour?

2. The USA Today, a publication I generally reserve for those days when I want to see terrifically complex ideas reduced to pie charts, runs this kinda predictable piece about how this election is The Most Important Election in History. Or something like that.

On the one hand, media like this panders to a desire to take ourselves seriously. Few people like to be reminded of their own insignificance. On the other, media like this is where legends come from. Obama hasn't won the election yet, and certainly hasn't spent one second in the oval office, but he's already ensconced himself in the American political landscape. From the very beginning, when the Kennedy's endorsed him, there has been an effort to place him squarely in their tradition. There is no indication of that trend doing anything other than accelerating. This image can't possibly be sustained when informed by actual decisions. Going to be a rough hundred days, I suspect.