Here's Vanity Fair's description of Cindy McCain's outfit on the first night of the Republican convention.

Oscar De La Renta Dress $3,000.00

Chanel White Ceramic Watch $4,000.00

3 Carat Diamond Earings $280,000.00

Four Strand Pearl Necklace $11,000.00 - $25,000.00

Shoes, designer unknown $600.00

I noticed that Michele Obama wore the same dress two of the four nights of the convention, but they were in different colors! And they did look right off the rack, just like the other dresses she has worn for public appearances.

I also noted that McCain wears $600 shoes, and Obama wears an old pair that even embarrasses his wife.

Still, I say if you can afford it, good for you, so I don't hold that against the McCains. But it does speak to their ability to really understand everyday people.

I should think it would be obvious that there are different ways to be elite. It should be equally obvious that democrats are more likely to heap scorn on wealthy elites (like super-Dem Ralph Nader?) while Republicans are more likely to heap scorn on educational-cultural elites. (See GW Bush for archetype).

The difference is that money is a less discriminatory way of sorting class. Anyone can become rich. But you have to be smart to become educated and intellectual.

The Obamas earned 4 million last year and live in a mansion built on land bought at a discount from their convicted fraudster buddy Tony Rezko.

Their kids go to a private school with a 30,000/year tuition.

Obama is so out of touch that he opposed school vouchers, saying that they couldn't make a difference in tuition- not realizing that there are many private schools ( Catholic school, for instance) where the tuition is a fraction of what Obama pays.