Mrs. Obama, elitism isn’t where you shop
October 11th, 2008 . by NedSean Braisted alerts us to a Marie Claire interview in which Michelle Obama demonstrates either some (a) furious spinning or (b) major ignorance on the issue of socio-political “elitism.”
MC: Tennessee governor Phil Bredesen has advised Barack to head to Wal-Mart to connect with the “Wal-Mart women” who supported Hillary. What do you say to people who think your husband is too slick or elite for working-class voters?Obama: I find it funny that people have tried to label Barack as an elitist. This is the man who grew up not knowing his father, with a young, single mother who he watched struggle to make ends meet — even going on food stamps at one point. And despite the economic struggles that his family went through, Barack turned down lucrative careers on Wall Street and went to work in communities to help folks in need on the South Side of Chicago, helping families who’d been devastated when the local steel plants shut down.
Ed Morrissey does a pretty good job of defining “elitism” here:.
Elitism is a sense that the hoi polloi are simply incapable of governing themselves, let alone a nation, and that a small group of “experts” have to take control of everything they do. That goes far beyond mere matters of state. Elitists see people getting more obese and believe that government has to intervene to remove food choices from individuals, as one rather timely example, as in New York City. They believe that removing personal choices will keep people from making bad decisions, because they — in all their wisdom — will make the right choices for them.This describes perfectly the policy direction of the Democratic Party, and perhaps even a part of the Republican Party as well. That’s why the charge of elitism sticks so well to Democratic candidates in national elections. Their humble origins are immaterial to the concept of elitism. Candidates who want to grow the federal government in order to increase its nanny-state power are by definition elitists, because they believe individuals cannot make choices for themselves.
As relates to Barack Obama in particular, elitism is reflected more in his reference to hayseed voters clinging to “god or guns or antipathy toward people who aren’t like them” than it is reflected in his reference to the price of “arugula”.
And am I the only one bothered by Bredesen’s image-over-substance suggestion?
i think i’ll vote foor the candidate that has one house, not 7. I think I’ll vote for the candidate who respects my freedom of choice and doesn’t think they know whats best for my uterus ’cause jebus tells them so.’ I think I’ll vote for the candidate who cares about MOST Americans, not just the top 1%.
I think I’ll vote for the candidate who cares about MOST Americans, not just the top 1%.
Oh, hell! You’re voting for THAT ONE!
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You’re a Sopranos fan, JP?
I consider that the best fictional TV series of this decade. Of course, it’s the only one I regularly watched, since I disdain nearly all TV.
kc, you poor child, obviously you’re not old enough to vote. If you are, then shame! on your teachers for your lack of education.
Spelling comes first. Command of the language and proper grammar, essential for success in today’s world.
Try some remedial online courses. Here’s a start.
kc,
I guess you didn’t vote for Kerry?
Protecting the unborn? Biology tells me so.
And envy is a sorry basis for a vote, don’t you think?
Save the unborn cells 4 jebus!! Fuck the middle class. That makes a lot of sense - LOL! Is that your concept of religion, theocracy, or both? Yea great, you work on savin’ cells, I’ll vote for someone who’ll help most Americans.
You’re a Sopranos fan, JP?
No, man; I’m the cartoon caricature you depict me here as, every day… altering my comments or deleting them, as you see fit.
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Sometimes, JP, you come across as nearly…normal.
Must be the pills having kicked in.
Thank God for drugs, huh?
;D
(btw, I never delete or alter anything unless it’s obtuse or racist. You needs to learn nuance if you’re going to insult someone. As a rule, if you said it in 5th grade (or if you were stuffed into a locker for saying it in High School) then it won’t pass muster with me.)
As a rule, if you said it in 5th grade (or if you were stuffed into a locker for saying it in High School) then it won’t pass muster with me.)
Dood, that’s a rich, steamy pile, right there. No one here is more juvenile (and repetitive) in their attacks than you.
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JP…you regularly use 5th grade humor; biological, anatomical, fecal. Click on your name, there. “Go Fuck Yourself dot com”. Need I say more?
Man, you are down with the juvvie stuff..”steaming pile”? Again, need I say more?
Yeah, I’m repetitively on the bash-a-cat-blogger meme, because cat blogging’s an internet joke. Everyone makes fun of cat bloggers.
NTTAWWT..