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.