Wow, look at the media spin for Obama in that article.

He went to a $16000-a-year prep school in Hawaii and lived with his grandparents, while Clinton went to a public school and her mother was a homemaker. His parents met at a university, his father went to Harvard for a PhD, he went to Columbia and Harvard and taught at the University of Chicago, was president of the Harvard Law Review and worked in a Chicago law firm.

But look at what that article says:

"Obama's personal and professional background would seem, at first glance, to give him a foothold among economically struggling voters, analysts say. He was raised by a single mother, and was a community organizer in Chicago before getting into politics. Clinton, by contrast, grew up in a middle-class Illinois suburb and made partner in an Arkansas law firm before becoming first lady in 1993 and in 2001, a US senator from New York."

Nuke the gay whales for Jesus!

@1 Are you kidding?

In other news, the Catholic church tells its parishioners that they can't celebrate St. Patrick's Day this year, because the 17th falls during Holy Week. No joke.

1-- You sound dizzy yourself!
Obama got into that college-prep Hawaiian high school, Punahou, on scholarship (he writes that his grandfather's boss helped them). His mother was a first-year student at the University of Hawaii when she became pregnant. He had no contact with his father after the age of 2, save one visit when he was 10. They moved to Indonesia for a few years when his mother remarried, but he was sent back to Hawaii when he was 10 or so, so that he would "grow up American". He lived with his grandparents. Grandfather sold insurance and was awful at it, grandmother worked her way from secretary to VP of a bank over her lifetime without ever going to college.

He went to Occidental and transferred to Columbia University, where he excelled, for his degree. Afterwards, he went to work organizing church groups and local communities against violence, asbestos, and other local issues. He then went to get his JD from Harvard Law, and was elected president of their law review... and went back to southside Chicago. He and his wife didn't even pay off their college loans until 2005 (he was 43), when his book became a bestseller.

Clinton started college a Goldwater Girl -- in the Young Republicans.

elenchos what do you mean? #1 seems correct on the facts - she from a small business owner family, public schooled -he from private schools and highly educated parents - nothing against education but the connection to blue collar does seem more hers than his.

he was hardly raised by a single mom in the sense that it is usually meant.
he was also a lawyer before entering politics and bought a $1.6 million house after being a state senator for 10 years - he quit the lawyer game early and even with inflation in the housing sector not bad for a guy ten years out of law school working mostly as a legislator. Don't think HRC owed a house until after the WH - of course they had free housing in AR too.

Didn't cost anything to be a Goldwater girl, V. It is a stupid debate but she clearly came from regular folks not the elite. They have both done well.

What's important to remember is that both of their early resumes are better than McCain's. I doubt that the fact that he only managed to get through the Naval Academy by the skin of his teeth (and because his dad and grandpa were both admirals) really evokes that "pulled oneself up by the bootstraps" illusion that Republicans like to promote.

Young Republicans always had the hottest guys on campus. :(

I wasn't trying to suggest that Hillary is in any way not solidly middle-class-- sorry if it seemed like an attack; I meant it as a balance for comment 1. It was just a different sort of ideology than you'd expect. Being a "Goldwater girl" in youth isn't bad-- it suggests political interest and involvement, and anyway, she left the party in 1968 because of Nixon and racial tensions (good reasons). She just wasn't a champion of the poor as a teenager. That of course changed in her adulthood, with all her work internationally on women's rights. Her speeches about women in the political domain worldwide are amazing. She's a great person.

As for the Obama house, which is in Chicago near Hyde Park, that's a consequence of what I was talking about when I said they were finally able to pay off their debt in 2005. The bestselling book was a boon to their finances. It's been less than 3 years since then.

Senator Obama's background is just a little more diverse than Senator Clinton's. From running around on the streets of Indonesia as a child to living with middle-class grandparents to working on the ground with Chicago's poor for years to being elected the president of the Harvard Law Review indicates varied life experiences. I think that's a useful place to come from.

When struggling workers look at Obama, they see many things that they can personally relate to.

There is absolutely nothing in Hillary's personal life that connects directly with those who are struggling. She never knew anything but comfort and security. Her father was not an employee, he was the owner and boss of a textile business. There was never a need for her mother to get a job, allowing her to be June Cleaver for her children. The American system worked perfectly for her family. She went on to marry the guy who everybody agreed would go very very far indeed.

There's nothing bad in Hillary's background, but it is silly to suggest she can relate first hand to those who are today not making it or are struggling to make it. Whereas, there are several points where Obama can relate first hand to these voters.

Clinton, by contrast, grew up in a middle-class Illinois suburb and made partner in an Arkansas law firm before becoming first lady in 1993 and in 2001, a US senator from New York."

I love how the article fails to mention that Clinton got her job at Rose Law firm just after her husband was elected the Arkansas AG and was made partner just after Bill was elected governor. She's a smart lawyer, and she worked on the committee that helped take Nixon down, but being married to the chief law enforcement officer of the state where Rose Law is headquartered and later being married to the chief executive of Arkansas couldn't have hurt either.

elenchos many if not most women stayed home in the fifties and sixties or worked part time. obama came from a much more elitist background and until recently the criticism of HRC's supporters was that they weren't as educated or blue collared.

Oh and btw people are giving O credit for where he was as kid but not HRC for being in the WH.

Is there anything but zero, zilch, and nada in Hillary's background for a struggling worker to relate to?

Is there more than zero in Obama's background for a struggling worker to relate to?

Hillary has personally experienced no economic hardship whatsoever. Obama has personally experienced some economic hardship.

This is not rocket science. I can't even figure out why the issue is being debated because the facts are so plain.

We all know that Ouch & Chicagogaydude are voting for McCain.

@14 Actually, what makes me despair about some of Obama's supporters are the people who say they'll vote for Obama or McCain but not Clinton! Given the background despair caused by the 2000 (~) and 2004 (!) election of mean ignorant boy, though, this is just a blip.

@15, I've heard both Clinton and Obama supporters say they will vote for McCain if their chosen candidate does not get the nom. However, I believe that cooler heads will prevail after the Dems have a nominee.

"Young Republicans always had the hottest guys on campus."

Sheesh? What college did you go to? I went the U of Iowa, and our College Republicans were all a bunch of sweaty little beady-eyed doofuses with anger control problems.

But once they had a few drinks in them - and they tended to drink like fish - I could usually get them in bed, so that just shows that everyone has a good side.

In their case it was face down. Best for everyone involved, as they never wanted to kiss anyway.

College Republicans and the Fraternity system. Where would my love life had been without them?

Oh and btw people are giving O credit for where he was as kid but not HRC for being in the WH. [12]

Depends on what kind of credit you're talking about. Obama lived in a foreign country as a child-- I'll give him that. I'm not going to say it makes him truly wise about foreign policy, but knowing what it is like to live in Indonesia both grants you a basis for truly appreciating the United States and experience living amongst and making connections with people who are not American every day.

Hillary lived in the White House and was married to the President of the United States. Of course she gets similar credit for this: It's very useful experience in that she knows what it's like to live as the President. But by that logic, we might as well just re-elect someone who has already been President. (I actually think a lot of people would like to re-elect Bill; there was some poll data showing that almost 70% or HRC voters would prefer WJC.)

And @14-- The reason you see some Obama supporters who prefer McCain to Clinton is because they are not strong Democrats (two very reasonable, nice folks at my caucus location told me this). Any Democrat would be happy with either Dem on policy. It's the "integrity" and "message" voters (who are not stupid, for the most part) and those who just flat dislike Clinton whom she loses in the general.

I've heard a few Clinton supporters online threaten to vote McCain over Obama, but I've yet to hear a good reason. If you support Clinton on policy but vote McCain over Obama, you're shooting yourself in the foot.

@18 Look, a Clinton-McCain choice is like a Gore-Bush choice. I'm sure people would have their batshit crazy "reasons" for not voting for Clinton matched against McCain in a general election, and that's why this country is going down the tubes.

I'll take Clinton's "integrity" to McCain's any day. As far as message goes, I think Obama's campaign messages are actually often harmful to Democratic values, which yeah, I really believe in.

I also believe you can't be reasonable or nice or responsible and not vote D in November.

@1 - you obviously haven't read his book.

Go read it - and then apologize for what you wrote. See @5 for some of the details.

"I also believe you can't be reasonable or nice or responsible and not vote D in November."

This is pretty unreasonable in itself.

How are Obama's campaign messages harmful to Democratic values? Because they sometimes have the support of people who don't completely agree with us?

#14 you are the reason that O supporters are not helping your candidate. Just because I don't buy into Obama's relating to the blue collars better than HRC doesn't make me a Republican. I am so much to left of you that may think I'm on your right. I have never voted for a Republican presidential candidate, ever.

Both O and HRC are of the elite. They both are lawyers. HRC's parents were not college educated O dad and step-dad were both PhDs as was his mom I think. His Grandma was a bank VP. He went to private school in Hawaii, she went to public school in Chicago.

Obama will win the nomination and I will vote for him but give up on the his struggles of those of the great unwashed will bring him victory. All through this campaign his supporters have pointed to his more educated supporters, don't flip-flop on that now.

Interesting that you consider me an Obama supporter. I'm an Independent who is leaning towards McCain, thank you.