Elite and elitism are distinctly differetn terms, and the distinction is important. To be among the elite is to the best, while elitism traditionally means rule by the elite, or a belief in the power of the elite. One may be elite and not be an elitist. Humility is a blessing.

Sent by Scott | 7:18 PM ET | 07-28-2008

The problem is, the word elite has more than one connotation. Republicans fear the word, because they ARE the elite. They are just a cut above the others, because they have more, and therefore deserve more.

It's possible the person who thinks he has joined the elite is a Wal-Mart manager, and can buy a nice-looking house. He can be decieved into thinking he has interests in common with multimillionaires, who are getting million-dollar tax breaks. He gets his few thousand in a tax break, and thinks he is the one they are talking about.

Fearful that the voting public will see elitism in their motives, they project elitism on democrats. They aren't elite because they're richer, they think they're elite because they're so smart.

Most voters don't have a college degree, so they might resent a person who thinks he knows so much. John Kerry is well-spoken, so he might think he knows better than the rest of us, and may just be eating caviar and listening to an opera when we aren't looking.

Yeah, that's it. Call a lot of college-educated democrats elitists, and they won't be looking so much at us country-club types, who have in common little but a bank account. Get 'em!

Sent by Gene Douglas | 8:54 PM ET | 07-28-2008

I strongly beieive the word 'elitist' as assigned to Barrack Obama is at it's core, a code word for 'upity'. How else can you explain this tag being leveled by affluent powerful white men in america. Who themselves clearly fit the definition.

Sent by Randy Cousar | 9:03 PM ET | 07-28-2008

What about delicious burritos in Meridian Hill Park?

Sent by Ryan T. Swamp | 8:43 AM ET | 07-29-2008