News Under Our Noses

"It's not vanity, it's strategy.

"However. Mr. Obama consistently shows that he doesn't know what he doesn't know. It's a theme with his talented, confident staff. They don't know what they don't know either. Because they're young and they've never been in power and it takes time to know what you don't know. The presidential-type seal with OBAMA on it, the sometimes over-the-top rhetoric about healing the earth and parting the seas. They pick the biggest, showiest venue for the Berlin speech, the Brandenburg Gate, just like a president, not realizing people would think: Ya gotta earn that one, kid. Going to Europe was fine, but they should have gone in modestly, with a modest venue, quietly spread word that his speech was open to the public, and then left the watching world awed by the hordes that showed up."

Well, voters did elect a young white man from nowhere--or at least Hope, Arkansas--making me wonder whether "black" is the key word in that sentence.

On the elitism watch, Josh Marshall suggests we take a closer look at Obama's opponent:

"McCain has spent two decades cultivating the press -- specifically, the cadre of several dozen reporters based in Washington who report for the leading national newspapers and television networks. They know him. They've liked him. In part this is because he's made a concerted effort to appeal to them, by making himself accessible. He's also a pre-babyboom military man, a profile that has a special appeal to many boomers who never served. But familiarity and affection, as it does in all our lives, leads us to ignore faults.

"Not only is McCain an extremely wealthy man who didn't have to work for any of his wealth, he's also a man of very expensive tastes. Little facts capture the story. According to financial disclosure statements released in June, the McCain's are currently carrying between $135,000 and $335,000 in credit card debt. Given their wealth, which is in the many tens of millions of dollars, that means either that they spend a tremendous amount of money on themselves -- and this is just the 'carry' on an average basis -- or they have real problems managing their money. In any case, yes, McCain's an extremely wealthy man, with fancy clothes and houses across the country. But he got his money from marrying into it.

"Of course, patricians can make presidents. Franklin Roosevelt is the prime example. But as McCain continues his campaign to define Obama as a high-living fancypants, let's not forget the McCain was born into a life of privilege and continues to live that life today.

"McCain question of the day: Do you own your own private jet? McCain does."

Not me. I fly coach.

By the way, Tina Brown is starting a new Web site called The Daily Beast. Nice name.