This is exactly what's wrong with America...

[LilShieste]

@Argent Towers

OK, this is a very good point, and it’s basically true. The Republicans are almost always the ones who make a tactic of trying to paint their opponents as “effete” and “not a man of the people.” (It’s a pretty good tactic - the Democrats might want to, you know, take a page from the playbook in this specific case.)

Actually, this is one of the things that I really admire about Obama - that he tossed this playbook right out the window.

@Argent Towers

Whether or not they themselves engage in this “he’s not a real man of the people” tactic, the Democrats need to realize that they are very vulnerable to it, and act accordingly, if they want to win.

I agree with this. Unlike Kerry, Obama needs to nip this type of thing in the bud, before it snowballs. That’s exactly what he’s been doing, and it’s exactly why we’re seeing McCain grasping for straws.

[Mrs.Cake]

Checking in from Iowa to say that I generally buy my arugula from the local Farmers Market. Not only that, I am very aware of what a Whole Foods Market is (and Trader Joes, too). In fact, a quick ask-around at work reveals that everyone is mystified about why people would think Iowans don’t know what arugula is. Virtually all have at least heard of Whole Foods, and many have been to them when visiting other states (we have cars here, too). Seems to me it says more of a general contempt for Iowa on the part of article’s author than elitism on the part of Sen. Obama.

[LilShieste]

@Mrs. Cake

Checking in from Iowa to say that I generally buy my arugula from the local Farmers Market. Not only that, I am very aware of what a Whole Foods Market is (and Trader Joes, too). In fact, a quick ask-around at work reveals that everyone is mystified about why people would think Iowans don’t know what arugula is. Virtually all have at least heard of Whole Foods, and many have been to them when visiting other states (we have cars here, too). Seems to me it says more of a general contempt for Iowa on the part of article’s author than elitism on the part of Sen. Obama.

You have cars, and know what Whole Foods is? Next you’re going to be telling us that you have running water, or some such nonsense.

[Blalron]

I’m simply astonished at how irrational people are with their voting criteria. To think that apparently sane, adult human beings, many of whom are entrusted to operate heavy machinery, may be refusing to vote for somebody because they are too healthy and smart! It actually scares me a little bit.

[Beware_of_Doug]

@Mrs. Cake

Checking in from Iowa to say that I generally buy my arugula from the local Farmers Market. Not only that, I am very aware of what a Whole Foods Market is (and Trader Joes, too). In fact, a quick ask-around at work reveals that everyone is mystified about why people would think Iowans don’t know what arugula is. Virtually all have at least heard of Whole Foods, and many have been to them when visiting other states (we have cars here, too). Seems to me it says more of a general contempt for Iowa on the part of article’s author than elitism on the part of Sen. Obama.

People on the coasts need to feel superior to someone, somewhere. Since Iowa is about as far from either coast as one can get, why not lord it over Iowans as the ultimate out-group from the interior? It’s a matter of simple geography.

[KGS]

This kind of desperate behavior from the right-wing cabal doesn’t bode well for them in November. We liberals can at least take comfort in that.

[Hostile_Dialect]

Edit: Oops. My response to the OP was mistaken. Sorry.

@Bayard

The people who covered the event for the local press

…who, as you know if you’ve ever read the Des Moines Register, were probably all experts in agriculture.

[Boyo_Jim]

@Argent Towers

Still it seems like a really weird, obscure crop for him to bring up instead of soybeans or corn. The main thing though is that in this case, he was talking about the idea of someone going to the store for the purpose of buying arugula. How many rural farmers would do that?

That’s what the article implies. Maybe there’s a story somewhere with a more complete context. He could just as easily have been suggesting alternative crops with high income potential.

[Hostile_Dialect]

Or using arugula as an example of how the rich (massive chains like Whole Foods) are screwing the not-so-rich (farmers in Iowa). I guess that’s “elitist” now. Whatever.