No room for Harry?

Some of the media animosity toward Ms. Palin confuses me. Sure, she's pro-gun, anti-gay marriage and anti-abortion, while most people covering her feel strongly the other way. That sounds like a too easy answer.

Perhaps the media reflects an unspoken current felt by many Americans. That current might be we've become comfy with leaders from the ruling class, so we're suspicious of candidates from outside those ranks.

Our 2008 Presidential candidates are of the elite. The last two guys were too. The 2000 election was between two elites. What about Bill Clinton? Hmmm, that ball could break either way I guess. Humble birth, but Rhodes scholar, Georgetown law professor too.

History of Presidential elections implies Americans don't want leaders chosen from among our ranks. After all, what non-elite Presidents have we had lately? Carter for sure. Ford was pretty non-elite too. Nixon was non-elite in his way.
That's my entire list of Presidents during my life time who didn't rise from the ruling class, or go through an extended period of class orientation.
Reagan just an ordinary guy? Give me a break David! Maybe to Frank Sinatra and Jimmy Stewart!

Are we getting where we think the job of President is so hard we regular folks couldn't manage it? Are we getting where we think less of our abilities as regular Americans?

The three ultimate non-elite Presidents have been Jackson, Lincoln and Truman. Two mixed records and a towering figure in human history; not a bad score for average Americans. Ms. Palin deserves every bit of scrutiny she's getting. Politics is a tough business, not for sissies. If she can't take it, even the low blows, she doesn't belong.

But I wonder have we become a country with no room for Harry Trumans? We're now a nation that only likes elites in the Oval Office? Should I tell Huckabee to forget his ambitions? There might be a Lincoln out there somewhere.