Tuesday, April 22, 2008

The Fabulous Life of John McCain

From Steve Benen

As Yglesias put it, “[I]f you’re looking for an elitist in the presidential race you might want to look at the super-rich guy who made his fortune by marrying an heiress…. And of course the couple still won’t release the part of their tax returns that has all the money on it.”

True, true. I’d just add that the ad does something else, too: it subtly tries to define McCain as John Kerry.

I think Jonathan Martin’s take was right.

I don’t usually pay much attention web videos, but the below Robin Leach-inspired spot from ProgressiveMedia USA, the new David Brock outfit hoping to become the major third-party player on the left, is worth posting because it presages what will be on of the central lines of attack against McCain.

In effect, they hope to paint him as the right did John Kerry in ‘04 — as a rich guy who married his money and lives a life the likes of which you and I can’t relate.

Making this sell will be significantly more important should Obama get the nomination in light of the already-active effort to paint him as an elitist.

So, in effect, it will be McCain’s “nine properties” (they count multiple places on the same land in Sedona) and AmEx “Black Card” versus Obama’s “arugula” and bowling acumen.

The efforts to “define” McCain are obviously taking shape — he’s the old, angry, rich Bush-clone who frequently gets confused about policy details. Kind of like Grandpa Simpson with Mr. Burns’ bank account.

I just want to add that anyone who says Obama is out of touch for his arugula comments is an elitist snob. Of course the people in Iowa know what arugula is. I bet the arugula farmers he was talking to had great knowledge of arugula.


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