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i think it's important to reframe the elitism question in terms of origins because i don't think that's how most americans perceive it. i think for most americans, class has to do with how you act and handle yourself and the activities you do, things you surround yourself with, visible habits, etc. everyone knew that both bush and kerry were incredibly wealthy, but bush's "down home texas beer drinking brush clearing" act gave off the signifiers of the country, the everyman, etc. etc. while kerry gave off the signifiers of MASS, windsurfing, and other common images that are associated with old wealth. of course both of these images were crafted by the GOP machine and ignored the basic fact that both of the candidates lived lives that were incredibly removed from the lives of most americans - as do the current candidates. obama has to be able to counter the ridiculous claims that paint him as essentially an upper middle class yuppie harvard type. his race and origins should be enough, but apparently they're not. it's absurd that karl rove can call obama the guy at the country club considering how many country clubs have historically excluded blacks from membership, but if there is no counter to that image, then it will stick - because obama sends his kids to private school, he "eats right," and all this other stuff. technically it is the stuff of the upper middle class lifestyle, but he should be able to use his community work past and origins to negate that stuff.
