As a service to faithful readers, I intend to try to keep you up to date with the evolving definition of elitism. Today’s elitism upate is as follows:
Elitist: Discussing the price of arugula with farmers in Iowa. Apparently, arugula is the heart and soul of elitism, as demonstrated by the distribution of said lettuce by posh Irish restaurateurs “McDonalds” in their side salad:
Salad Mix: Iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, spring mix (may contain baby red romaine, baby green romaine, baby red leaf, baby green leaf, baby red Swiss chard, baby red oak, baby green oak, lolla rosa, tango, tatsoi, arugula, mizuna, radicchio, frisee), carrots. Grape tomatoes. CURRENTLY, OUR SALADS DO NOT CONTAIN SPINACH.
Now I don’t know about you all, but here in West Virginia, a trip to McDonalds is some pretty exotic stuff.
Not Elitist: Riding in a nine car motorcade to buy a cappucino from Starbucks.
Now, some of you might be wondering why a domestically grown lettuce is elitist but imported coffee beans are not, or why cappucino is not elitist but latte is, and if I find out I will let you know. Like I said in the first installment of our Elitism Update, the rules for this stuff can change unexpectedly, depending on what the right wingers need to accomplish. It is entirely possible that you could order a T-bone, thinking you are having a good American meal, and halfway through the meal find out that T-bones are now elitist. So be careful, readers. As we have learned in the last eight years, elitism is bad, and you always want to shoot for “guy I wanna have a beer with.”
mellowjohn
especially when you’re asking the iowa farmers about the price they get for growing arugula… and not inquiring about what the retail price of arugula is in the produce section.
Zifnab
Some might be tempted to accuse McCain of being a limousine liberal, but I think we all know that he’s not a liberal.
Others might label the man one of those Starbuck foamed over coffee sipping west coast yuppies, but McCain is from the heartland of Arizona. It’s landlocked. No coasts to speak of in any direction.
And what’s most important of all is that did I mention that John McCain was a P.O.W?
Remfin
You can’t just be the “guy I wanna have a beer with” either. Your beer could be elitist too!I’m positive a little more searching could find some right-wing blogger calling Obama’s beer choice elitist. After the whole orange juice/coffee thing, anything is possible.
rawshark
Why is elitism a problem in a country where we were all lead to believe we would be rich if we worked hard?
Why am I asking rational questions about the actions of the republican election machine?
demkat620
I leave for vacation tomorrow, so I will only get abbreviated st00pid over the next week. I expect the media and the McCain campaign will provide plenty of both.
However, I thought that the liberals at Starbucks wouldn’t serve the military. Don’t they hate the troops? Didn’t Our Lady of Perpetual Outrage tell us that real americans go to Dunkin’ Donuts?
Alan
OT Complaint: Geebus, you guys need to get a new web host.
PaulB
Yup, and as the article notes, the way you drink it could be elitist. Sigh….
Martin
I just want to say that the Democratic Convention stage looks like a vegas topless show crashed into the video game awards. The Republican stage is a million times better. What the fuck were the Dems thinking?
You can see both over at Ambinder’s pad.
chrismealy
What is wrong with people? Arugula is excellent! I’ll never go back to spinach or iceberg lettuce. It’s got a great peppery taste. It’s not inedible bullshit like radicchio.
Fun fact: in the UK they call it rocket. How awesome is that?! Rocket!
Also, it’s great on sandwiches.
Ripley
Cappa-gold-digger-whatnow?
Say, what happened to the Hangin’ Out With the Little People Express bus? Is it in the shop for an air freshener change? Or was there a tire pressure incident?
Shygetz
Shut up, that’s why.
D. Mason
Yeah, I kept my mouth shut for a while but it really is getting out of hand. I come here for the lively conversations but lately there hasn’t been much opportunity for that.
Xenos
Oh Shit. I just put “Montreal” style grill seasoning on my all-American pork loin roast.
Can I still eat at it if I insult it first?
As a separate issue, anybody notice that the GOP podium looks like the US Flag has been sutured into the centre of the Union Jack? Nice bit of imperialistic dog-whistle, that.
Unfortunately, the Democratic podium looks remarkably like a slot machine! If you had put this in a novel you would be criticised for laying on the satire too thickly.
Incertus
Maybe Pollak was right–Rick Astley is going to be Obama’s running mate.
myiq2xu
John hasn’t been this excited since somebody called Dick Cheney a “chickenhawk”
It’s like watching a pack of angry chihuahuas.
Rommie
Drink Diet Pepsi and you are in touch with the Common Man. Drink Diet Pepsi Max and you are an out-of-touch elitist?
I like Jelly Belly jellybeans – now I’m scared I’m an Ivory Tower wannabe.
If McCain the jerk evolves into McCain the Fool – it’s all over.
Ted
In that case, definitely Obama. I would have nothing to talk about with a guy who loves ABBA, has 10 homes and a private jet, and has never had to work for a living. At least with Obama we could talk about music without cringing.
gil mann
They’ve just come out with a new morning beverage for the truly elite; it’s made by squeezing the “juice” out of a citrus fruit (imported from a faraway land?) known as an “orange.”
Apparently one can substiitute said drink for coffee, but beware–we’re talking platinum-card-level elitism here. It ain’t for regular folks like you and me.
I believe it’s called “Nectar of the Sun God.” Could be wrong about that.
JGabriel
John Cole:
I think we’re making this far too difficult. The rules are pretty simple: if you’re a liberal in political outlook and/or philosophy, or if you vote Democratic, anything you do is elitist.
If, for instance, at any time in your life you applied for and recieved government benefits, and even once voted for a Democrat, you’re an elitist.
If, on the other hand, you’ve applied for an over a billion dollar government bailout for you company, and voted Republican regularly, you’re a regular working Joe – a self-made man no matter whether you inherited or married into your wealth – who would be a good guy to have a beer with.
Capice?
.
Atlliberal
You would think that one of McCains 7 or 8 mansions would have a cappucino machine in it.
Equal Opportunity Cynic
Your beer could be elitist too!
Damn, I sure hope it is. I didn’t have any taste for beer until I started hanging out with beer snobs. Then I found out what I was missing.
chopper
i’m sorry dogg, i know it pisses you off but mccain just isn’t walking out of this week looking good. so your guy got taken down a few pegs, it happens.
JGabriel
Ripley:
They upgraded to The Tightly Closed Curtain Express Plane, and The Black Limo Privacy Express.
.
Darkrose
Because John McCain was a POW. Duh!
Tsulagi
While no doubt listening to the group he says pumps him up getting his juices flowing…ABBA.
So not only not elitist, not afraid to fully embrace his manly Dancing Queen side while slowly sipping a cappuccino giving his staff time to update him on how many houses he his wife now owns.
dricey
It’s gotta be non-elitist beer, though.
No Guinness.
Equal Opportunity Cynic
If, on the other hand, you’ve applied for an over a billion dollar government bailout for you company, and voted Republican regularly, you’re a regular working Joe – a self-made man no matter whether you inherited or married into your wealth – who would be a good guy to have a beer with.
Well, of course. That’s part of the ownership society! Republicans are all about letting entrepreneurs reap the rewards of their risk while keeping them safe from any negative consequences.
D. Mason
You would think so but then again, he’s more likely to be at one of the many mansions that don’t have a cappuccino machine than he is to be at the one that does.
chopper
you know where mccain didn’t have a cappucino machine? prison.
Atlliberal
“you know where mccain didn’t have a cappucino machine? prison.”
The jokes are writing themselves now.
John McCain doesn’t realize how much trouble he’s in.
Ted
Still bitter. Still pouting.
nightjar
I hear they got Howie Mandel to start the Dem show with a rousing episode of “Close the Deal/Or No Close the Deal. Potato head voters will love it!
Emma Anne
I am not sure yet about the Dem stage. Maybe it will grow on me. But I hate the Repub stage already.
David Hunt
I’ll give you a serious answer anyway. “Elitist” doesn’t really mean elitist at all. It’s just a dog-whistle term that the Right has been very successful in using as an all-purpose way to tag their opponents as some sort of alien Other. Usually, it’s a stand-in for calling a Dem a faggot. but in Obama’s case I think it’s just being used to try to invoke a sense of tribalism that runs rampant in the U.S. Trying to make Obama one of THEM instead of one of US. Once McCain’s staff have Americans thinking of Obama as THEM, it’s much easier for a variety of other smears to stick (he’s a secret Muslim, he’s a militant black Christian, he eats weird food [arugla lettuce & orange juice!], etc., etc.).
Dennis - SGMM
McCain supports American vegetables because he is one.
chrismealy
— from one of MY’s commenters
Litlebritdifrnt
I have to agree, if those pictures are correct then the GOP stage is just miles away better than the dems, I mean hot pink? WTF did Hillary is 44 pick out the colour scheme?
PS) And it does look as if it is floating on a large Union Flag (its only a Union Jack when it is flying on a ship, I was in the Navy dammnit I know these things :))
gil mann
Everybody kbows the Dems suck at stagecraft, so of course they have to prove it in the most literal way possibloe.
Greg G
Not just the UK – it’s the rest of the English speaking world. Seriously, in the local (Australia) Safeways there’s more rocket than spinach these days…
Rocket.
gil mann
Kbows. Possibloe. Maybe that guy’s IQ really is 2Xme.
KevinD
McClatchy’s getting hammered in the comments.
Dennis - SGMM
If all of the Hollywood types are supposedly in the Dem’s pocket then how is it that the Dems suck at stagecraft, never seem to come up with a compelling narrative, and generate such piss-poor slogans?
maxbaer (not the original)
I believe that would be Scottish because if it’s not Scottish it’s crap.
BTW, their McHaggis blows goats.
Rex
For five and a half years, John McCain couldn’t have a beer with anyone. He was a POW in Vietnam.
Remember that.
John S.
I presume you are qualified to make this observation since you are an angry chihuahua.
John S.
I agree.
I’ve done a lot of tradeshow booths in my life, and I have to say that the RNC stage is much better. It’s strong, classic and simple. That DNC stage is a complete fucking disaster. I can’t even fathom that the people behind Obama’s absolutley brilliant brand have had anything to do with that fucking abomination.
John S.
Have you seen the bullshit Hollywood is churning out lately?
Everything is a remake, an adaptation or a remake of a remake. There isn’t a single original thought left in the entire fucking town.
I think I just answered your question.
John Cole
The picture of the stage you all looked out was not finished and had bad lighting. I have seen it on CNN, and it is not purple, but red white and blue and looks flashy, but acceptable. I do agree the RNC one is better.
On the other hand, they better have a good stage. Who the fuck wants to look at McCain?
dmsilev
Re: the DNC stage, it’s irrelevant. The big event, the one that everyone cares about, won’t be on that stage. It’ll be across the street in front of 70,000 people.
-dms
Litlebritdifrnt
I still cannot figure out the “elitism” of arugula or “rocket” (I prefer rocket, which is a thought, would it be less elitist if it was known as rocket in the US), anyhoo, its a bit like saying baby spinach is elitist, I mean how elitist is spinach, popeye ate it. It’s a member of the brassica family akin to cabbage, brussel sprouts, and OMG COLLARDS, THAT’S IT, Obama likes collards (and fried chicken, catfish and watermelon dontchaknow) he is soooooooo elitist and did I mention he’s BLACK! (Did I cover everything?)
wasabi gasp
Frankfurters that are joined end-to-end all cartoon-style are elite. The word frankfurter sounds pretty stuffy too.
Sugar cubes are totally pinky-pointin’ elite.
The wide rolls of tin foil…yup…elite.
wasabi gasp
I forgot popcorn. If you got a jar of popping corn kernels that you shake over the stove, just get over yourself already.
grumpy realist
Damn. At some point I’m going to have to run for POTUS and totally flip out the collection of brain-damaged goldfish called The Media by insisting on Laphroig and Hiroshima-style okonomi-yaki as my favorite foods (Oh, and the music has to be either Baroque vocals, the more obscure the better, and written for countertenors; or Appalachian shape-note singing/bluegrass.)
Hot damn, I could have a lot of fun with this.
Barbar
guy I wanna have a beer with
This is what I never understood — Bush quit drinking (supposedly).
SpotWeld
I must confess, I could see the Union Jack laid out in the GOP setup as well. (It’ll look different with they have all the people in the stands.
Ed Marshall
John McCain will pay you $50/hr to pick lettuce. Well, he says he will, but he bets you wouldn’t do it. What kind of American would pick lettuce for $50/hr.
JackieBinAZ
he’ll never live like common people.
JackieBinAZ
Shit. I suck. Click on my name.
Martin
I only listen to classical Tuvan throat singing, myself. Not the modern stuff – it’s just crap engineered for radio play.
He didn’t say that. He said that we couldn’t do it. I guess only Mexicans have that kind of work ethic. Americans are just lazy and greedy.
Ed Marshall
He said that we couldn’t do it.
You can’t do it, my friends…
Yer right, that’s exactly what he said.
cuzco
Dear god its hideous. I kind of like the typeface but all I can see is a v formation of showgirls with large white feather fans parting for Obama’s triumphant entrance in a red white and blue sequined suit.
Republican stage blows it away. Although the red floor black seating thing is rather creepy. Looks vaguely like those old Nazi photos with Hitler addressing multitudes of perfectly aligned soldiers…
Rex
Looks vaguely like those old Nazi photos with Hitler addressing multitudes of perfectly aligned soldiers…
My thoughts exactly.
Ed Marshall
Republican stage blows it away.
It’s something coughed out of blender, it doesn’t exist.
Phoenix Woman
There’s a chance that Ron Paul’s people will outdraw the GOP. Paul’s booked the Target Center in Minneapolis, ten miles west of the Xcel Center in St. Paul where the Republicans are holed up. The Target Center generally holds more people under most configurations.
Tim in SF
Can someone please explain to me how arugula came to be associated with elitism ?
Thanks!
rachel
One of my favorite pastas is spaghettini dressed with garlic and extra-virgin olive oil, shrimp, flying fish roe and rocket. (Or arugula, I really don’t care what you call it.) OMG, I must have it now!
bago
RNC stage looks like a power fetish wet dream. Demo stage looks like a tech presentation.