Tonight, in the VP debate, both sides laid claim to being part of the middle class. Joe Biden made many references to his Scranton roots. Sarah Palin went so far as to suggest that "hockey moms and Joe Six-Packs" should band together with her.
But which of these candidates is really more similar to the middle-class everyman they are trying to appeal to?
The answer may surprise you.
Looking at the candidates' income and personal assets, we get an interesting comparison:
Sarah Palin
2007 Family Earnings: $247,209 (top 2%) source
2007 Net Worth: "at least $1.2 million" source
Joe Biden
2007 Family Earnings: $319,853 (top 2%) source
2007 Net Worth: $277,997 source
By some models, the Palins would be considered upper class by virtue of their earnings and net worth, while the Bidens have upper class earnings, but their net worth is more typical of upper-middle class Americans.
While both families may be in similar economic situations, their individual lifestyles, and personal styles, seem shockingly different. Clearly, though, neither has a unique, or particularly strong, claim to being part of the middle class.
Update: I'm just watching the debate again and Palin actually said "...the middle class of America, which is where Todd and I have been, you know, all of our lives..." So, add that to her pile of lies (not that one more makes much of a difference at this point).
Update #2: The Palins just released their taxes...take a look.