This generation's pet rock. . .

. . .is Barack Obama, according to Victor Davis Hanson, and as usual, I find myself in 100% agreement. Obamamania was doomed by the swoon.

This is America, dammit. We do not wiggle in our seats over politicians. Even Nina Burleigh was cynical enough to name her price when she offered to "service" Bill Clinton; namely, keeping abortion legal. Up until a couple of weeks ago, Obama could have personally gone to every Planned Parenthood clinic and chased women down the sidewalks with graphic photos of aborted fetuses and it wouldn't have put a dent in his public genuflection numbers.

Now, though, the adulation has finally gotten to be a bit much for the average person to take. In these days of ubiquitous marketing, people have developed a very tough hide when it comes to media hype. Remember how that one thing was supposed to revolutionize our extremely mobile society? (I'm seriously struggling to remember the name of the thing here.)

Ah, yes. The Segway.

It never even caught on to the degree that the Pet Rock did. Being the product of this overhyped media culture that I am, the first thing I thought of when I read the headlines trumpeting the impending arrival of this wonder of modern technology was an ad slogan: "Segway: Faster than walking. Slower than bullies." It seems I'm not alone. I've yet to personally see one in action. All I've seen is high profile mishaps, which leads me to believe that the only revolution that will come from the contraption will likely come in the science of skin grafting.

So, Obama can claim to have been more successful than the Segway. He can also claim to have defeated Alan Keyes in a race for the Senate seat he currently occupies. And, to his credit, he's the only person in history to have defeated Keyes for an Illinois Senate seat. That should temper the scoff reflex.

But, what does Obama need to do from here? Better yet, what does will.i.am need to do from here? I have a hard time envisioning him being recognized for anything other than o.ba.ma from here on out. It will be a millstone around his musical neck for the rest of his days. Poor guy. At least Warren Zevon had the talent to keep moving forward after "Werewolves of London". I'm not sure will.i.am has the chops.

And Oprah? Are middle-aged white women going to forget her betrayal of their sob sister in chief? Will she forgive her audience of menopausal marauders if Hillary should manage to pull out a victory by hook, crook, and backroom snooker? Or, will she become radicalized and kick poor Wally Lamb out of her book club to make room for more Cornel West and Michael Eric Dyson?

I suspect Hanson is right when he says, "by summer, few will admit they had purchased one." In fact, by next spring, I can envision a lot of folding card tables filled with excellent bargains will.i.am CD's next door to tables filled with best-selling titles from Oprah's Book Club when the garage/yard sale season kicks into high gear in the Merlot-and-brie-soaked shires of American suburbia.

And, then, we'll get to hear all over again about how America is looking for "real" change.