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McCain’s Two Americas

Posted by ELYAS BAKHTIARI in At TMV.
Oct 24th, 2008 | Comments

Sarah Palin and John McCain elaborated on their definition of “elitist” in an interview last night with Brian Williams:

WILLIAMS: Who is a member of the elite?

PALIN: Oh, I guess just people who think that they’re better than anyone else. And– John McCain and I are so committed to serving every American. Hard-working, middle-class Americans who are so desiring of this economy getting put back on the right track. And winning these wars. And America’s starting to reach her potential. And that is opportunity and hope provided everyone equally. So anyone who thinks that they are– I guess– better than anyone else, that’s– that’s my definition of elitism.

WILLIAMS: So it’s not education? It’s not income-based? It’s–

PALIN: Anyone who thinks that they’re better than someone else.

WILLIAMS: –a state of mind? It’s not geography?

PALIN: ‘Course not.

WILLIAMS: Senator?

MCCAIN: I– I know where a lot of ‘em live. (LAUGH)

WILLIAMS: Where’s that?

MCCAIN: Well, in our nation’s capital and New York City. I’ve seen it. I’ve lived there. I know the town. I know– I know what a lot of these elitists are. The ones that she never went to a cocktail party with in Georgetown. I’ll be very frank with you. Who think that they can dictate what they believe to America rather than let Americans decide for themselves.

This is coming from someone who recently referred to certain parts of the country as the real, pro-America parts of America. If that isn’t an example of “thinking you’re better than someone else,” what is? And that attitude represents, to me, the worst of today’s Republican party. McCain and Palin are more than willing to wrap themselves in 9/11-based patriotic jingoism, yet they turn around and denounce the parts of the country that sacrificed and suffered the most on September 11 as elitist and un-American.

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jeff_pickens

I'm fatiguing with the celebration of mediocrity. I don't want my next-door neighbor soccer mom to potentially be my president. I don't want my "average" cousin to be my president. I don't want my "average" boss to be my president. I want the smartest, wisest, steadiest and amenable to reason and evidence to guide my country. I want someone with some political vision, someone who would actually work with the whole country to solve problems--not some permanent campaigning that we've had the last 8 years.

"...thinks they are better than anyone else..."??? How high-school-ish is this becoming?

These guys who are mocking New Yorkers as "elite" have forgotten that New Yorkers showed themselves to be the bravest, most resilient human beings on the face of the earth during and after 9/11. Were the volunteers, the police and firefighters and hospital staff and the tens of thousands of ordinary people in New York "elite" during the crisis? Were they yelling "elite" as bodies were being pulled from the rubble?

This ticket makes me ill. Nov can't come soon enough.

JMattM

Right up there with her weird definition of Terrorism.

McCain doesn't know where he is anymore. I feel for the guy.

Hisui

These are the types of interviews and comments that have, unfortunately, made me a very bitter person toward republicans, or even people who just have McCain signs up in their yards. I feel terrible, but every time I try to listen to McCain or Palin speak I only hear the lies that have been proved false by fact checkers, and start to resent the people who buy into those lies and hypocrisy and support them.

On another note, does anyone have a link to an article discussing their speaking styles? McCain uses "I know" and "I" a lot in general; that has to imply something (the obvious). I know Palin has been discussed a little bit, her uses of "and", "also" and throwing in every talking point possible in one question.

PattonGuy

I heard those comments about the "real America", and "pro-America parts of America", and I got very, very mad. I started calling John and Sarah some nasty names. Now I sort of regret it, but I think it is both rotten and dumb to say that people who don't live in small towns (i.e. about 80% of the country) are "anti-American." And Michelle Bachmann...what a piece of work. I can't believe there's that much stupidity in the world. I may be a little naive in that respect, but seriously, I thought you had to be smarter than that to get elected. Oh, wait, that ''W" guy. Oops.

At any rate, The Daily Show had a great take on it (as I expected), right here. Excellent, as usual.

S11

What happens when you start saying things like: all immigrants are criminals, all Muslims are terrorists, all Europeans are socialists, Congress and doctors can choose better than women, etc? Does that mean you are an elitist?

lotusflwr

To me, elitist means avoiding everyday experiences involving normal (common) people, dismissing other people's experiences as not being as authentic as your own, and assuming the common person is not capable of holding, forming or expressing a valid opinion while believing others should look up to you and listen to you.

Everyone should feel that they are special and somehow better; self-esteem is not a bad thing. The error is believing that you are absolutely better and other people have no worth and nothing to offer or teach you.

Elitism happens across the country, across levels of education and wealth and across party lines. "Who think that they can dictate what they believe to America rather than let Americans decide for themselves"? The religious right is as guilty of this as anybody. Once upon a time McCain could say this and I'd believe him, but not with Palin at his side. His extreme right base is no better and no less 'elite' than the extreme left.

StockBoySF

The thing about McCain and Palin is that the people they refer to as elitists or in-American is basically whoever disagrees with them. Isn't that being elitist- insulting and dismissing those with different views? And then McCain claims he can reach across the aisle and reach a bipartisan consensus.... He can't with an attitude like that.

Rambie

"PALIN: Anyone who thinks that they’re better than someone else."

Maybe someone should introduce her to a mirror.

Jim_Satterfield

Define "better". I know that I am smarter than lots of people. I also know that I am not as smart as a lot of other people. According to the tests I took all those years ago I am much better at scholastic pursuits than a vast majority of other people. Better? There are other measurements of the worth of any human being. But there are things that must be considered when choosing a president, vice president or any other responsible position. And as far as that "thinking they're better than other people" I'd really love to see some proof of Palin's telepathic abilities.

kritt11

Elitists often do know more than the rest of us and I don't really see what is wrong with admitting that. We all are good at certain things and bad at others. There may be NYC law professors who can dissect constitutional law with a microscope, but who can't hammer a nail into the wall- so what? We've known for a while there are different types of intelligence.

If you don't want someone smarter than you deciding things for you-would you want someone who's mediocre doing it? That;s what we've had for the last 8 years and that certainly hasn't turned out that well!

I don't understand what the GOP expects to gain by pitting certain types of people or parts of the country against each other. My guess is that they have nothing to offer the middle and working classes, so they use it as a wedge issue.

If Obama wins it will partially be because he's campaigned consistently as a unifier.

AustinRoth

kritt -

"I don't understand what the GOP expects to gain by pitting certain types of people or parts of the country against each other."

Please. I know you hate 'tit-for-tat', but really. Class warfare and jealousy have been a staple of Democratic strategies since the 70's.

That doesn't make the new 'elitism' meme any more correct, but let's at least acknowledge where they learned it. And given the lack of success they had in national elections with it (although it was and is very effective at the state and local levels), I do have to agree that co-opting a version of it doesn't seem like a wise choice.

My big issue these days with McCain is that he has in hos own way morphed into John Kerry. By that I mean he doesn't seem to be able to articulate a strong message of why he wants to be and should be President, beyond just wanting to be President.

His overall political career certainly wasn't as calculating as Kerry to get to that point, but he seems to have arrived there nonetheless.

kritt11

AR- Yes its been used in the past but since its not working now- they should drop it.

Most people know that we are in serious trouble and that's why it has backfired on whoever is trying it lately. They want a message of hope- not this-- the elitists on the east coast want to run your life crap.

This is not a normal year, and I think that is why Obama has caught on fire. Whether he can make things better is almost secondary to the fact that people are believing that he can and hoping things will get better.

It reminds me of FDR 's run after Hoover in a way- (not him but the type of election.)

StockBoySF

kritt: "If you don't want someone smarter than you deciding things for you-would you want someone who's mediocre doing it? That;s what we've had for the last 8 years..."

kritt, you're being too charitable. :)

kritt11

SB- Well maybe its tax deductible :-)

You are right tho- even Palin blamed Bush for the fact that they are tanking. Of course it has nothing to do with Troopergate, fashiongate, calling some Americans the "real Americans", McCain's poor debate performances, her ignorance in her interviews, etc etc.

What was it one of the CNN commentators called him ?A functioning idiot?

kritt11

And AR

- I hope you saw that that story you were gnashing your teeth about turned out to be a hoax. It seems like a really horrible thing to do unless she's mentally ill or something- like the Tawanna Brawley incident but in reverse!

AustinRoth

If you go back to the original post I put my comments in about it, I had added a post pointing that out immediately after that news broke.

I also apologized there earlier to you and Jim for my outburst, BTW.

http://themoderatevoice.com/at-tmv/newsweek-blo...

kritt11

Austin--Oh-OK I didn't see that. I also accept your apology--- and have gone
off the deep end sometimes. We are all ready for this election to be over so
that the country can try to move forward again. Take care, Kim

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