Wednesday, June 04, 2008
A little bit of funny from Joe Posnanski
by Anonymous at 10:53 AM
About Barack Obama's elitism - [He] has bought into the concept that Barack Obama is too elitist and not at all like the real and authentic folk. Well, first off, there’s the sickening absurdity of the whole elitist concept — the man is RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT. Of course he thinks he’s elite. So does McCain, Hill, Bob Barr, and anyone else who has the audacity to believe that he/she should be the President of the United States. Please. How in the hell can someone raise hundreds of millions of dollars and travel non-stop around the country to tell people again and again why he is the right choice — the only choice — to become the world’s most powerful person and NOT BE ELITIST? Ripping a presidential candidate for being elitist to me is like ripping your heart surgeon for being a perfectionist.
Good stuff.
I think you may be trying to bait me into a debate here but I can't resist.
This is a simple misunderstanding of the word 'elitism'. One can think he is the most qualified for the job of President without being 'elitist'. notice that I didn't say 'elite'. Of course the candidates are elite. They've risen to the top. But to be 'elitIST' is to believe that those at the top of the food chain, so to speak, know what's best for those on the lower links on the chain.
I object to that philosophy. I object that governmental bureaucracy knows better than I do how to raise my kids, what food to eat, etc.
Elitists say, "oh what does he know? he's just a lowly serf." As Americans, we must reject that kind of thinking. Barack Obama doesn't know what's best for me just because he's successful. Neither does John McCain. And I'll vote for the guy that is more in favor of letting me just live my life without the government getting in my way.
So you're saying that Barack Obama couldn't do a better job of raising your kids than you can? Shenanigans. Aside from coming up with a healthcare plan that makes sense, there's nothing that man can't do. And if he wants to drive Andy to little league, I suggest you let him.
As you can see, I do not have the ability to have a rational discussion on politics without resorting to nonsense.
Bait successful.
I'll admit that I responded to the part you quoted without reading the rest of the article. Joe Posnanski does go on to more clearly define elitism and I pretty much agree with him on his broader point. Just because a guy isn't someone you'd want to sit down and have a beer with doesn't mean he'd be a bad president. But no pundit can discount that part of GWB's strength was in how he connected with the average American voter on a personal level. People can relate to him. They found him likable. Even if they didn't find him to be the most qualified, Americans know they have to look at the face of the winner for at least the next 4 years. Gore and Kerry came off (fairly or unfairly) as pompus and elitist. That hurt them.
The country is pretty much split 50/50 on the issues. This election, like the last two, will come down to personalities. Obama will likely try to smack McCain as a hot-head and McCain will smack Obama as an elitist. McCain has managed to keep his temper in check this election cycle, but Obama has had some elitist gaffes already. He'll need to be more folksy if he wants to win in November.
I look at this, and wonder how I'm supposed to read anything about politics from this guy. He's clearly a drunk!
Yeah, you can't trust that guy. Plus he's an elitist. He thinks that nobody can take a bottle of red label like he can.