Has anyone thought about just turning down the heat?

The Wall Street Journal has up a piece noting the strange phenomenon of people fainting during some of Senator Obama's big speeches. It is being reported in the media as evidence of his popularity. Now, some are wondering if it is a more ominous sign.

What exactly are we to make of this? A cynic might wonder if the whole thing isn't staged, given how often it happens and how well-honed and self-serving Obama's standard response seems to be.

But if it's spontaneous, that's in a way even more unsettling. At the New Hampshire rally, Larry David of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" fame quipped, "Sinatra had the same effect on people." Sinatra made girls swoon by singing romantic songs. But America isn't electing a crooner in chief.

When I was in high school at a National Youth Conference, a similar phenomenon was observed, but people did not immediately assume it was a sign of enthusiasm or "a movement of the Spirit". Instead, they handed out bottles of water, and made sure people did all they could to keep cool. Maybe after 8 years of having no one more exciting than John Kerry or Al Gore to vote for, Democrats are reveling in a charismatic leader. But then again, maybe they need to look at themselves and wonder whether there is not a more banal reason for all this.