I noticed today the diary on the chance that Nebraska may be in play in a Obama McCain race. It has me mofo psyched about November. As somebody from the working class, I don't think there is anything that annoys me more than Hillary or the mainstream media pushing the idea that Obama supporters are 'latte sipping' elites. Isn't that out of the Republican playbook? Pick your biggest flaw and accuse your opponent of it? OTOH, people actually seem to buy this BS in States like Ohio and Pennsylvania. I don't understand why, and I don't understand why I've almost even fallen for it. I was kindly reminded in a comment thread the other day that I can't put myself into Hillary's shoes (not because she's irrational and I am rational) because I'm a normal average everyday American. Her blue collar strength is a farce, she spent her lifetime in Park Ridge, Wellesley, and Yale Law. She has had many opportunities in her life I could never imagine, which makes this commercial of her childhood so freaking hilarious.
Hillary Clinton is not blue collar, and it's pretty telling that she has to go back two generations to the depression to find working class roots, and rely on footage at the age of 3 outside that was taken outside of her wealthy hometown of Park Ridge. PLEASE, I know I'm from a Nebraska, but my husband's Grandma had outdoor toiletries and no running water until the 1970's!
Take that and compare it to an account of Barack working at Baskin Robins when he was teenager. THIS is blue collar. Take that and compare it to any of Barack or Michelle's daily experiences and lives (I got to see Michelle speak and I've never heard somebody with so much common sense, or so grounded and humble).
Now, according to Hillary, I don't matter (I'm from a red caucus 'boutique' State). My parents are blue collar, I'm a first generation college grad with an MA and about $40,000 of student loans owed to my land-grant University (you know, the supposedly affordable schools). But the one thing I think Barack and Michelle have as their major asset is their sincerity and their humble lives and beginnings. They're not life long politicians. They haven't been involved in politics since the age of 16, like Hillary. Even now Hillary makes 100X what Barack and Michelle make in a year.
So, I guess you can probably see why I'm perplexed, that blue collar workers in midwestern States are going to Hillary. Do they really buy her BS???? She's in the top 1% of the top 1%. Give me a freaking break. When I was in High School, I started working when I was 14 (work permit) at Blownanza where I wore a visor, a maroon bowtie, a gray and white striped shirt, and a gray skirt that hit at mid midcalf (and a maroon apron somedays). In my lifetime I've cleaned rooms, cooked pizza, washed dishes, and staffed group homes. My husband is still blue collar, he's hung wall covering and painted for going on 11 years now while I've been in school.
Anyway, I'm just sick of seeing Hillary try to 'pass' as blue collar AND then seeing people buy it. If you want to see Barack's blue collar support, look at his turnout and results in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wyoming. For some reason, we are seeing what the blue collar workers in these states are missing. The fact is, the life and background of Barack is much more like the average American's (despite his living overseas (another asset)) and much less like the life of Hillary (campaigned for Goldwater at the age of 16) Clinton. Obama's camp would do well to continue highlighting Obama's blue collar beginning's and/or reminding Pennsylvanian's that Hillary is the true elitist. She's the entitled one after all.
UPDATE: I do enjoy lattes and I am educated