Analysis: Doubts Continue to Nag Obama

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., addresses the National Education Association convention in Philadelphia, in this Thursday, July 5, 2007 file photo. For Obama, the millions of dollars he's raised can't quite paper over the nagging doubts and growing pains. He continues to draw large crowds and his message of hope and unity has captivated many voters weary of political polarization. But in the weeks before his fundraising totals were disclosed, the Obama campaign hit a series of rough patches that seemed to highlight his relative inexperience on the national stage. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (Matt Rourke - AP)

NEW YORK -- For Barack Obama, the millions of dollars he's raised can't quite paper over the nagging doubts and growing pains.

The Democratic presidential hopeful recently reported raising $32.5 million over three months, a staggering haul that shifted focus from the question of whether the 45-year-old political phenom is ready for prime time.

The first-term Illinois senator continues to draw large crowds _ as he did in Iowa last week _ and his message of hope and unity has captivated many voters weary of political polarization. The campaign has already attracted more than 259,000 contributors _ a jaw-dropping figure.

But in the weeks before his cash totals were disclosed, the Obama campaign hit a series of rough patches that seemed to highlight his relative inexperience on the national stage.

_Critics dismissed as somewhat lackluster Obama's performance in three nationally televised debates. One was a civil rights forum in which Obama, the field's only black contender, was expected to shine.

The debates proved an effective showcase for rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, and the strong reviews she received helped reinforce her status as the Democrat to beat. The candidates will debate again July 23 in South Carolina.

_Obama's relationship with Chicago real estate mogul Antoin "Tony" Rezko continues to draw scrutiny, even as the candidate has sought to further distance himself from his longtime political consigliere. The Obama campaign has already shed about $37,000 in contributions connected to Rezko, who was indicted last year on charges he sought kickbacks from companies doing business with an Illinois state pension fund.

_An Obama campaign research memo surfaced criticizing Bill and Hillary Clinton's financial connections to India. The memo fell into the hands of Clinton's communications team, who promptly shared it with reporters. The snarky tone of the memo _ which at one point identified the New York senator as "D-Punjab" _ seemed to contradict Obama's stated commitment to running a positive campaign.

Obama blamed his staff for producing the memo, the third time he's publicly pointed the finger at employees for campaign mishaps. He then spent most of an Iowa campaign trip distancing himself from the memo and apologizing to his Indian-American supporters.

"Obama is to some extent a victim of his own success _ when you come blazing out of the gate, it makes it very difficult to continue to beat expectations," Democratic strategist Dan Newman said.

To be sure, none of the stumbles were fatal or even likely to sway many votes at this stage of the campaign. But evidence suggests Obama's fabled charisma hasn't closed the sale yet, either.

In Iowa, which holds the first voting contest, Obama is locked in a tough fight with Clinton and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards.