Going on TV to announce that Clinton and McCain were raised in more "privileged" environments doesn't seem to be an effective approach to win hearts and minds. But that is what Barack Obama did Thursday in a television interview.Here is the Reuters account of what Obama said on NBC's Today Show:
"The irony is, I think it is fair to say that both Michelle and I grew up in much less privileged circumstances than either of my two potential opponents," Obama said in an interview with his wife, Michelle, at his side.
Reuters does some blocking and tackling for Obama, helpfully adding this:
Obama's Kenyan father was largely absent from his life as a child, and his mother raised him with the help of his grandparents.
His rival for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton, grew up in an affluent suburb of Chicago as the daughter of a small-business owner. The Republican candidate for the November presidential election, John McCain, is the son and grandson of Navy admirals.
Obama went to the most elite prep school in the state of Hawaii, then went to Columbia and Harvard. Why can't the guy just express some gratitude for being able to attend some of the best schools in the US?
I've said before that I don't understand Dem voters. It may well be that Obama knows Dem primary voters will be more inclined to vote for him if he points out Clinton was raised with more advantages. But in a general election, whining about your opponent's advantages will turn people off.
