Dana Milbank: Barack Obama has long been his party's presumptive nominee. Now he's becoming its presumptuous nominee.

Milbank speaks Rovian. The typical Rovian tactic is to attack your opponent's strength, not his weakness. Obama's (most feared) strength is his popularity. Terms to watch: presumptuous, hubris, pride, arrogance, self-aggrandizing.

The Rove attack: Obama is arrogant, therefore is not one of us, not to be trusted. Huge crowds? It just shows his arrogance, presumption, hubris, pride, self-aggrandizing personality. Popular with everyone, even Republicans?  It just shows his arrogance, presumption, hubris, pride, arrogance, and self-aggrandizing personality. Watch for the words and go to the conclusion because a narrative always includes the moral to the story. Kerry is a fake hero, therefore can't be trusted. The narrative that attacks his strength leads to the "not one of us" conclusion. Related narrative: Obama is exotic, foreign, not one of us, other, Black, mixed race, not from here.