Liberals are used to being accused of being elitist snobs who think they know best. But sometimes, actions speak louder than words. When top Republican strategists (Kristol et al) pushed Palin to the top of the ticket in 2008, they betrayed their true feelings about the American people. Namely, that we're just a bunch of unsophisticated boobs who will swallow whatever BS is shoveled our way as long as its wrapped up in pretty paper.
The only alternative explanation is that they genuinely thought Mrs. Palin a true "diamond in the rough" who would quickly prove her worth. I don't think these guys are that stupid...
There are many other actions that exhibit this disdain for "regular folks." The real conservative base (namely rich white people) has been engaged in a long-term effort to distract and distort our political dialogue so as to gain the support of a group of people who would naturally have no business doing so.
But every once in a while, a singular action sums up the issue very clearly. Palin's ascension strikes me as the height of disregard for the well-being of the country and the vast majority of those in it. They put this person one heartbeat away from the Presidency. A person who time and time again displays virtually no grasp of the issues of the day let alone a comprehensive understanding of say, the Constitution. In her ongoing role as a "tea party" spokesperson, she continually reinforces the doubts the general public displayed towards her with the vote in November 2008.
Only an elitist, out-of-touch cabal of activists would have the gall to foist such a candidate upon the American people. But why did they do it? Now, this may seem elitist, but I believe the people selected to stand for the position of Vice President should be well-qualified, meaning they are at the top of their class... either from an educational point of view, an experiential point of view, or both! It is not elitist to have an expectation of greatness in our candidates for political office. And yet, that attitude is pilloried by so-called conservatives who view such notions as a product of elitism. This attitude and the choice of Palin shows that these folks at the top of the GOP ladder have a very skewed perception of what the general public wants and what it will go for. They wanted to win in 2008. Apparently, they decided that choosing the most capable and able politician would not achieve this goal. They banked it all on the misguided, and truly elitist notion that Americans will gravitate towards politicians who are "just like them."
I am sure that having Sarah Palin as a next door neighbor would be a fine thing (free caribou jerky anybody?), but I and most Americans decided long ago, that we do not want her to run the country. The fact that the decision makers at the top of the GOP did not foresee this outcome shows just how elitist they are, and how out-of-touch they are with the concerns of so-called regular Americans.