Barack Obama, many conservatives would argue, has lots of faults. But being a poor orator isn’t generally thought to be one of them. Nevertheless, there seems to have been an outbreak of applause failure at Obama’s recent speeches.

The New York Times provides a harsh review of Obama’s speech to the Building Trades Council today, noting he “seemed to offer another rationale for the self-inflicted brouhaha that has dominated the political debate for four days running.” And the crowd? The Times reports:

As Mr. Obama spoke about the controversy, the crowd largely listened in silence. When he concluded, applause broke out, but it was far from the standing ovation Mr. Obama received when he addressed the matter to voters late last week in Indiana.

Must have been an off day.

But what about his speech yesterday before the AP? Dana Milbank tells us: “On the same day, the two media darlings of the presidential election cycle came to address their base–and McCain easily bested his likely opponent.” Obama was “defensive and somber.” The crowd? “McCain got a standing ovation–an honor Obama did not receive when his turn came two hours later.”

Has the Great Inspirer lost his touch? It could be that the bloom is off the rose, as far as the press is concerned. (He certainly is getting a lot of harsh criticism from the non-Kool Aid-drinking Left, which has essentially given up trying to help him get out of his fix.) Or perhaps Obama is less engaging when under fire. It may be that his initial stump speech–the one he trotted out endlessly about good ideas dying in Washington–was the best he had. But what does he say now? “I am not a snob” doesn’t seem to be working.