Ordinary Joe

I was watching some of the coverage of the primaries in Indiana and North Carolina last night on CNN. And it looks like we've moved into the stage of kissing the butt of working class America. I guess it's their turn. This time around, hispanics have had their shot. So have single women, white middle class men, blacks, Christians and college students. One of the benefits of the race going on so long is that, eventually, everybody will get their butt kissed. And now it's the regular working-class Joe's turn. And in order to appeal to the working class Joe, you've gotta show your Joe cred. And knocking back shots and talking about how much a gallon of milk costs, Hillary Clinton seems to be winning the match on this count.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/primary_rdp

Then I see this. In order to "stay in the fight" she's loaned herself $6.4 million. Now I'm no mathmatician. But it would seem to me that in order to loan yourself $6.4 million, you'd have to actually have, oh, I don't know, $6.4 million in the first place. More or less. I'm guessing more. There may be some finance tricks I don't know. But, I'd put it right in the ballpark of $6.4 million.

How many regular Joes do you know that have $6.4 million jingling in their pants pockets?

I'm not saying this makes her unable to represent "the little people." To whom much is given . . . noblesse oblige . . . yadda yadda. And none of the candidates are exactly poor. Obama doesn't buy his underwear at K-Mart. John McCain doesn't clip coupons. And Hillary doesn't sit around the house with Bill drinking PBR. (Though John McCain might sit around drinking Natty Light. His father-in-law is the biggest Annheuser-Busch distributor in the southwest. Ka-ching.) And that's okay.

Politicians have to be rich these days. It's a fact. And most of them wouldn't know a coupon from a savings bond. But, in truth, they don't have to feel my financial pain. They have people to feel the pain for them. You don't have to be one of us to do a good job. Women aren't asking that John McCain where a dress so that he can show that he understands womens' issues. (Taking a moment to picture that one. Whoo.)

Would I like to see some poor but honest schlub make it to the White House? Sure. But that's not currently one of my choices. So just own up to it. The next time one of them is offered a cold one at the local bar, it's fine by me if they say, "No, thanks, really. But I'd love to see the wine list."