I’ve seen a number of things that suggest that President Obama is in trouble. Ed Morrissey noted in this post that President Obama’s gift to British Prime Minister was a flop because he’s “overwhelmed” by the economic meltdown. I noted in this post that President Obama’s ineptitude knows no bounds because he’s in the process of opening talks with the moderate factions of the Taliban, Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas. Still another indicator is how quickly the stock market has fallen.

Those pale in comparison with this indicator: the AP’s Tom Raum turning against President Obama. Yes you read right: The AP’s Tom Raum wrote a piece that’s critical of President Obama. Here’s a part of Raum’s article:

Although the administration likes to say it “inherited” the recession and trillion-dollar deficits, the economic wreckage has worsened on Obama’s still-young watch. Every day, the economy is becoming more and more an Obama economy.

More than 4 million jobs have been lost since the recession began in December 2007, roughly half in the past three months. Stocks have tumbled to levels not seen since 1997. They are down more than 50 percent from their 2007 highs and 20 percent since Obama’s inauguration.

That’s a blistering indictment on the Obama administration but that’s just the beginning. Here’s another whack at the Obama administration:

Many health care stocks are down because of fears of new government restrictions and mandates as part a health care overhaul. Private student loan providers were pounded because of the increased government lending role proposed by Obama. Industries that use oil and other carbon-based fuels are being shunned, apparently in part because of Obama’s proposal for fees on greenhouse-gas polluters.

These people should be wary. President Obama has painted a bright red bullseye on their chests. He’s proposing awful policies with the worst possible timing. At least President Clinton raised taxes during a growing economy. That’s really the only time when an economy can withstand a major tax increase. Instead of waiting for the recovery to start, President Obama painted a bright red tax increase bullseye in the middle of productive people’s chest. Ditto with energy producing companies. Ditto with energy-reliant companies.

The administration argues its tax increases for the households earning over $250,000 a year and fees on carbon polluters contained in its budget won’t kick in until 2011-2012, when it forecasts the economy will have fully recovered.

But even those assumptions are challenged as too rosy by many private forecasters and some Democratic lawmakers.

Many deficit hawks also worry that the trillions of federal dollars being doled out by the administration, Congress and the Federal Reserve could sow the seeds of inflation down the road, whether the measures succeed in taming the recession or not. The money includes Obama’s $3.6 trillion budget and the $837 billion stimulus package he signed last month.

Let’s be intellectually honest and admit that Mr. Raum isn’t throwing softballs here. These are hard-hitting accusations.

The next question is whether Raum will stay critical or if he’ll pull a David Brooks. Fankly, I can’t picture Raum staying critical of President Obama. I think his criticism of President Obama is just proof of the media’s pack mentality, proof that the time-tested cliche “If it bleeds, it leads” still is true.

Whatever the case, Raum’s writings must be upsetting to the White House. It wouldn’t surprise me if they’ve got a bunker mentality right now. They’ve earned it.

Technorati: Media, Tom Raum, Mob Mentality, Associated Press, President Obama, White House, Bunker Mentality, Economy, Health Care, Cap And Trade, Tax Increases