Dijongate: Republicans are calling Obama an elitist because he ordered Dijon mustard

[hnooe]

Obama cuts the mustard in my book.. hummpppffff!

 

[Susan Horn]

For the sake of debate, let's suppose that ordering Dijon mustard does in fact make one an elitist. Then our Dijon-loving President is, by this admittedly ridiculous standard, an elitist.

Is that so bad? Is it so horrible for a US President, as representative of the US to all the world, to have what some apparently regard as above average taste in mustard? To have traveled the world his whole life and sampled not only the world's cuisines, but also the cultures, languages? I for one am thrilled to have a President who is so broadly educated, well traveled, intelligent, well spoken, and possessed of refined tastes. I sincerely hope his influence, and his familiy's influence, can help to reverse the inexplicable arrogance and frightful dumbing down of America, which IMNSHO are two very large pieces of what got us into the mess we're in today.

 

[Lynnie]

For the sake of debate, let's suppose that ordering Dijon mustard does in fact make one an elitist. Then our Dijon-loving President is, by this admittedly ridiculous standard, an elitist.

Is that so bad? Is it so horrible for a US President, as representative of the US to all the world, to have what some apparently regard as above average taste in mustard? To have traveled the world his whole life and sampled not only the world's cuisines, but also the cultures, languages? I for one am thrilled to have a President who is so broadly educated, well traveled, intelligent, well spoken, and possessed of refined tastes. I sincerely hope his influence, and his familiy's influence, can help to reverse the inexplicable arrogance and frightful dumbing down of America, which IMNSHO are two very large pieces of what got us into the mess we're in today.

I agree. I just can't believe that mustard equates to eliticism. However, the stabs at this President are no different than stabs at other Presidents for the equivalent of ridiculousness over minutia.

 

[hnooe]

What kills me is when I was growing up in the 60's, in suburban northern New Jersey, our little town was very 'split' Republican and Democratic--it was the Republicans that were the elitists, the premium mustard, champaign, private schools crowd, and the Dems were the "working class," putting the A& P brand of mustard on their dog!

How did things change?

 

[Susan Horn]

What kills me is when I was growing up in the 60's, in suburban northern New Jersey, our little town was very 'split' Republican and Democratic--it was the Republicans that were the elitists, the premium mustard, champaign, private schools crowd, and the Dems were the "working class," putting the A& P brand of mustard on their dog!

How did things change?

I think it had something to do with Southern Dems becoming Reps b/c of Civil Rights. Not a good student of history, wish I could be more specific. And I grew up in the middle of all that (Montgomery, AL)! Went to school with Lee Wallace and Morris Dees' boys; Grandaddy lost his job as city bus driver b/c of the bus boycott. I had no idea at the time of the historic magnitude of the events I was experiencing--it was just my life.

All that aside--there are PLENTY of elitists in both parties, and plenty of regular Joes, and plenty of everything in between. I think the Reps have done a good job of branding themselves as "the guys you'd want to have a beer with" but I don't get what makes those guys governing material.

For my leaders, especially presidents, I want someone WAY smarter, WAY better educated, etc., than the average citizen--regardless of party affiliation--and I am ready for smart folks not to be treated like jerks for being smart and showing it. It's time for smart to be cool again, instead of letting this anti-intellect stigma force so much brainpower underground. We need all the smarties we can find to get busy creating solutions to the challenges and opportunities we face as a nation and as a planet. So it's time to stop demonizing refinement, creativity, individuality and intelligence. Maybe the whole Dijon thing is symbolic of the dying gasps of an outmoded way of seeing and doing things.

 

[GoodWitch58]

Now you are really asking for a lot from many who have no conception of what is going on, went on or will go on in America. Also, some could care less about what the issues that are important are. BTW, I always ask for Dijon on my cheeseburger. I guess that makes me an elitist, too.

Welcome to the Club, Andy

 

[scooterbug44]

For my leaders, especially presidents, I want someone WAY smarter, WAY better educated, etc., than the average citizen--regardless of party affiliation--and I am ready for smart folks not to be treated like jerks for being smart and showing it. It's time for smart to be cool again, instead of letting this anti-intellect stigma force so much brainpower underground. We need all the smarties we can find to get busy creating solutions to the challenges and opportunities we face as a nation and as a planet. So it's time to stop demonizing refinement, creativity, individuality and intelligence. Maybe the whole Dijon thing is symbolic of the dying gasps of an outmoded way of seeing and doing things.

I'm with Susan - high standards and brains are the way to go, not pandering to the LOWEST common denominator!

 

[GoodWitch58]

I think it had something to do with Southern Dems becoming Reps b/c of Civil Rights. Not a good student of history, wish I could be more specific. And I grew up in the middle of all that (Montgomery, AL)! Went to school with Lee Wallace and Morris Dees' boys; Grandaddy lost his job as city bus driver b/c of the bus boycott. I had no idea at the time of the historic magnitude of the events I was experiencing--it was just my life.

All that aside--there are PLENTY of elitists in both parties, and plenty of regular Joes, and plenty of everything in between. I think the Reps have done a good job of branding themselves as "the guys you'd want to have a beer with" but I don't get what makes those guys governing material.

For my leaders, especially presidents, I want someone WAY smarter, WAY better educated, etc., than the average citizen--regardless of party affiliation--and I am ready for smart folks not to be treated like jerks for being smart and showing it. It's time for smart to be cool again, instead of letting this anti-intellect stigma force so much brainpower underground. We need all the smarties we can find to get busy creating solutions to the challenges and opportunities we face as a nation and as a planet. So it's time to stop demonizing refinement, creativity, individuality and intelligence. Maybe the whole Dijon thing is symbolic of the dying gasps of an outmoded way of seeing and doing things.

Well said.

When President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act in 1965, he is said to have lamented that " we are turning the South over to the Republicans for the next 50 years"...this book has some fascinating information IMO. http://www.tni.org/detail_pub.phtml?know_id=245

 

[Rita]

I think it had something to do with Southern Dems becoming Reps b/c of Civil Rights. Not a good student of history, wish I could be more specific. And I grew up in the middle of all that (Montgomery, AL)! Went to school with Lee Wallace and Morris Dees' boys; Grandaddy lost his job as city bus driver b/c of the bus boycott. I had no idea at the time of the historic magnitude of the events I was experiencing--it was just my life.

All that aside--there are PLENTY of elitists in both parties, and plenty of regular Joes, and plenty of everything in between. I think the Reps have done a good job of branding themselves as "the guys you'd want to have a beer with" but I don't get what makes those guys governing material.

For my leaders, especially presidents, I want someone WAY smarter, WAY better educated, etc., than the average citizen--regardless of party affiliation--and I am ready for smart folks not to be treated like jerks for being smart and showing it. It's time for smart to be cool again, instead of letting this anti-intellect stigma force so much brainpower underground. We need all the smarties we can find to get busy creating solutions to the challenges and opportunities we face as a nation and as a planet. So it's time to stop demonizing refinement, creativity, individuality and intelligence. Maybe the whole Dijon thing is symbolic of the dying gasps of an outmoded way of seeing and doing things.

I'm so with you Susan!..At some point in time "elite" began being used as a derogatory word for political purposes of using propaganda to influence the voting public.

I do not believe elite to be a negative quality. I don't mind my President having taken instruction from some of the top minds in the field of politics and history and having had the opportunity to travel the world as well as live in culturally diverse places.

No question that I could identify better with someone who was more like me, but I want someone smarter, more worldly, and more ambitious than most of the normal Joes and Sallys.

"Elite" ? - give it a break! As someone mentioned earlier, that is just pandering.

.

 

[Susan Horn]

So who's good at writing bumper sticker slogans? We need a bumper sticker campaign on smart is cool....