Is NYT Starting to Think Obama's an Empty Suit?

Is the media's honeymoon with presumptive Democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama finally over?

When the New York Times begins questioning whether there's anything behind the junior senator from Illinois besides promises of change one has to seriously wonder.

Such was the case in a Times piece published online moments ago -- that is scheduled to be on Sunday's front page! -- entitled "Allies Ask Obama to Make 'Hope' More Specific" (emphasis added throughout, h/t Hot Air):

Mr. Obama has run for the last 18 months as the candidate of hope. Yet party leaders — while enthusiastic about Mr. Obama and his state-by-state campaign operations — say he must do more to convince the many undecided Democrats and independents that he would address their financial anxieties rather than run, by and large, as an agent of change — given that change, they note, is not an issue.

Hmmm. You mean the good folks at the New York Times are finally beginning to realize that change is not an issue?  Well, better late than never, I guess:

“I particularly hope he strengthens his economic message — even Senator Obama can speak more clearly and specifically about the kitchen-table, bread-and-butter issues like high energy costs,” said Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio. “It’s fine to tell people about hope and change, but you have to have plenty of concrete, pragmatic ideas that bring hope and change to life.”

Or, in the blunter words of Gov. Phil Bredesen, Democrat of Tennessee: “Instead of giving big speeches at big stadiums, he needs to give straight-up 10-word answers to people at Wal-Mart about how he would improve their lives.”

Wow. And this will be on tomorrow's front page.

Imagine that.