The WaPo's media writer Howard Kurtz remains very troubled that the press is being too nice to the incoming Obama president. That he's so popular. Last week, Kurtz went on and on about how the press was “hyperventilating”, without pointing to much in the way of evidence in terms of hard news reporting to support his claim.

This week, Kurtz tries to keep the meme alive with by instituting the “Obama Adulation Watch.” For those with good memories, that will recall the “Clinton Suck-Up Watch,” which The New Republic ran during the 1992 campaign and the 1993 in order to mock reporters who supposedly wrote too many nice things about the Clintons. It's all part of the Beltway press corp buying into the right-wing claim about a liberal media. And it's a way for journalists to put their colleagues on notice that it's just not cool to treat Democratic presidents that way.

You'll notice there was very little concern in 2000 and 2001 about reporters and pundits sucking up to the new Republican president. That's not a problem. It's only when journalists go soft on Dems that eyebrows are raised.

Anyway, here's Kurtz's installment this week of the “Obama Adulation Watch”"

Associated Press: "Many women recoil at the thought of baring their arms in sleeveless dresses or blouses, but not Michelle Obama -- half of the fabulously fit new first couple.

Ugh. If Kurtz wants to traffic this idea the press has crossed some line in covering the new president, you ought to be able to point to real news stories, not lifestyle features, the type of which are written about every new First Family.