Seems to me that Frank Rich best describes why Obama stands a better chance than Clinton against McCain...not on policy, but on the other major issue on electioneering: appearance/persona/presence/whatever.

A Northeast Temperament?

 

For a moment last night, I wondered if there is (or a popular perception of) such thing as a sentiment in the northeast towards the thing that words of various motivation imply: establishment, elite, old money, snobbery, trusted, tested, old, known, institutionalized.

 

Top of the head, I can only remember defending Kerry against the "liberal snob" line; but it seems some of this was attached to his being a northeasterner.

 

Last night, I must have seen the New York and Jersey returns while also hearing some interviewee talking about Obama being a newcomer, and feeling more comfortable with Clinton. Indulging some stereotypography, I thought only predisposed snobbery can really trigger that approach. (After getting through that, though, I wondered if the GOP would (why wonder…yes) tag Clinton as a northeast snob, or whatever the thing is that is the object of the above words. And, further, would the Democrats again stick their collective heads up their butt? Whatever the thing is with this whole liberal/northeast elitism tag, I do know it is a favorite of the GOP in election season. And it is something Dems continually forget to ponder when contemplating electability. Kerry and Dukakis ought serve as useful reminders, but ah well.)

 

My first stab at finding some evidence at the northeastern thing, a Google search for "northeast elite," brings up a cheerleading squad called the Northeast Elite, regional, state & 32 X National Champions! Second link is to the Northeast Elite wrestling squad. So I really have no idea (1) if there is actually a stereotype on northeastern elitism/establishment/etc; and (2) if there is some historic basis (I imagine that basis would be something along the lines of our country's first institutions, establishments, and aristocracy were there.