McCain's $520 loafers put 'elitist' shoe on the other foot

If I put my foot in my mouth as often as McCain does, I might go high-end on the footwear

Priceless! I wish I could vote your comment up 520 times! LOL.

Maybe he bought them at TJ Maxx.

...and then treated himself to a flight to italy with the money he saved....

So the man has a pair of $520.00 shoes. I guess if he was wearing a pair of Rockports from J.C. Penney, then he would be a better presidential candidate that can relate to mostly everyone. Where are we all going with this??? I'm a working class guy myself, but I'm not going to criticize the man just because he's wearing a pair of shoes that cost a half-a-grand. I know quite a few low income and working class individuals who are more than willing to spend up to $300 dollars plus for a pair of Air Jordans. That to me is ridiculous, but if that's what you want to buy, so be it.

Bull@!$%#. McCain wasn't born with the money. He wasn't rich till he married his current heiress wifey. He was definitely middle class for most of his life. If I married a millionaire, she might give me some expensive stuff, too. Who cares about the shoes?

Of course, the same goes for Obama...sort of. He wasn't born a millionaire, either. The difference is that he's been moving in upper class circles his entire adult life. He might know what it's like to be a middle-class juvenile, but that's a far cry from being a working-class adult.

Let's not pretend John McCain comes from a working-class background. Both his grandfather and father were four-star admirals in the US Navy and McCain attended a private prep school growing up. His first wife was a former model. McCain has been circulating in upper class circles much longer than Obama, who only paid off his student loans within the last few years.

For many people, it's a month's rent.

McCain has shoes that stack up pretty well with Britney and Paris who he is apparently quite jealous of by recent accounts.

I think it's quite relevant when you factor in the criticisms McCain and his camp have been leveling against Obama.

A distraction designed to take focus off of the issues, this time coming from the left.

Yawn..... Yet another Repub apologist. Damn hypocrites - most of the Repub politicians. They tell you something is bad while at the same time doing it themselves. This time it is shoes, last time it was homosexuality, before that it was corruption.... (Yesterday, Ted Steven Repub senator from the Bridge to Nowhere, Alaska) was indicted - first Senator in over 15 years.)

This is news indeed. It shows McCain's hypocrisy and his elitism. Let's not forget his "trollop, @!$%#" (his words, not mine) wife's credit cards with $100K on them.

He's foolin' no one but himself.

A distraction designed to take focus off of the issues, this time coming from the left.

dc, I concur. We should leave this red herring behind.

It's time to get on the good foot.

add your examples to my list in post #5.

Bill Clinton and John Edwards are not running for President. And neither of them is calling the kettle black.

add your examples to my list in post #5.

Indeed, it's truly irrelevant to the important decision that needs to be made.

Bill Clinton and John Edwards are not running for President. And neither of them is calling the kettle black.

Absolutely! Dunno why Repubs like to live in the past. Clinton is so 20th century.

McSame's followers are trying hard to hide his hypocrisy.

division by zero--conservatives claimed that it was important bc it was john edwards who was claiming there were two americas: rich and poor. they said, here he is rooting for the rich, but he's getting 400.00 haircuts.

i said, if he's fighting for them, who the hell cares what price his haircuts were.

i think it's funny that mccain points to obama as an elitist but wears ferragamos, but truly, what do you expect? his wife probably bought them for him. you think she's gonna let him wear the sears special?

i think not.

funny to read, but completely irrelevant.

So how does a pair of $520 loafers stack up against much-maligned $400 haircuts that I believe Bill Clinton and John Edwards both received?

I didn't give a @!$%# about their haircuts, I likewise don't care that McCain wears expensive shoes except to point out conservative hypocrisy. If $400 haircuts weren't mentioned, I really wouldn't care. McCain's a rich guy, for whatever reason, so it is to be assumed that he buys expensive things. I will too, when I'm rich. :D

I will too, when I'm rich. :D

I will still wear the same flip flops I have the last 5 years.

Douglasq: which one? I am having trouble picturing this.

Don't try. You'll spend the rest of your days in therapy.

They might make him one of the girls on "Sex in the City" but certainly not elitist.

hahaha - good stuff!

I didn't really need that kind of mental picture in the morning.

Thanks a lot.

No it doesn't. If you wear $520 shoes that makes you rich, not an elitist. FDR was filthy rich, he was hardly an elitist.

Apparently, others are trying to argue that McCain is a "common man." Thus I think the point IS relevant, especially when you consider Bush garnered a lot of support with this notion that he was also a "common man."

Apparently, others are trying to argue that McCain is a "common man." Thus I think the point IS relevant, especially when you consider Bush garnered a lot of support with this notion that he was also a "common man."

I don't want the common man as president. The "common man" is typically an idiot. (I know that makes me an elitist).

I want an uncommon man for president. One with the ability and will power to tackle the tough issues that face this nation. A person with the ability to persuade the opposition to join the cause. A man who is above pettiness.

You cannot feed a family of four for three months on $520. No way.

You cannot feed a family of four for three months on $520. No way

Not in the U S but there are lots of people in this world that do.

DC, I agree 100% with you. The POTUS should be an extraordinary man, not a "common man." And I do believe that these issue are substantively unimportant.

However, the politics are important. George W. Bush got a lot of support running on this notion that he was a "common man," a cool guy to have a beer with. John McCain is trying to do something similar, labeling Obama as an "elitist," "out of touch," and comparing him to a rock star.

Unfortunately, as you imply, the "common man" cannot see past these sorts of tactics. Thus I believe they should be debunked on sight.

I know that makes me an elitist).

Haha, so one elitist is defending another elitist (McCain). But, of course...

You cannot feed a family of four for three months on $520. No way.

It's possible. Tough, but possible.
That's only $170 a month = $6 a day. $40 a week.
If you're eating a lot of rice, beans, potatoes, it is doable.

You can get a 20lb bag of potatoes for $5 that will last you at least a week for four people.
A 10lb bag of beans is less than $5. That's good for a week or two.
A 10lb bag of rice for $10 for a couple of weeks.
That's only $20 for rice+beans+potatoes for more than a week.

(We're not talking about nutrition here.)

Taco bell baby!

I want an uncommon man for president.

That's quite beautiful, actually.

Prezo,

First I am not a republican. Second I don't support McCain. Third I am not defending McCain.

It appears that you and others are ignorant of what elitist means. It does not mean rich; therefore, wearing $520 shoes does not make you an elitist.

Furthermore, I am trying to point out that this is not the kind of item that should sway voters one way or the other. Maybe you should actually read posts before responding to them.

Nick Ford: My girlfriend and I do this all the time. We shop for all of our basic food necessities (meats, breads, and cereals at the least expensive places we can find. We routinely buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts for 1.29 per lb. Great whole grain breads for 1.29 per loaf. Good whole grain cereals for 1.72 per 17 oz box. We keep our freezer filled to the brim (runs more efficiently this way), and shop for specials on those items we can't find at our favorite store. We buy potatoes 10 pounds for 1.99. We are so lucky to have a food retailer in our area that buys extremely large amounts of food, and passes the savings on to the consumers. People travel 60 MILES ONE WAY to buy their staples at this store. We travel 25 miles one way to shop there!

Also, I hunt, and do my best to supplement our diet with game meats, whatever is in season.

Don't tell me it can't be done. We do it now!

Furthermore, I am trying to point out that this is not the kind of item that should sway voters one way or the other.

Point is, it does. You yourself alluded to this when you called the "common man" an idiot.

Maybe you should actually read posts before responding to them.

And you should read some of the responses to your posts.

Christian Areas

Furthermore, I am trying to point out that this is not the kind of item that should sway voters one way or the other.
Point is, it does. You yourself alluded to this when you called the "common man" an idiot.

So I will ask you, my common man, how does calling the common man an idiot in any way imply that labeling a person an elitist can affect peoples opinion of a candidate?

I do agree that it can affect peoples opinion of a candidate. However, it is a side show distraction, similar to what Obama was referring to when he gave his speech on race, and it is just as wrong for Democrats and their supporters to do these things as it is for McCain and the Republicans to do it.

The elitism is the belief or attitude that is to argue that those who are considered the elite-a select group of people with remarkable...

This is one diffinition will look for another one, but it is in my opinion some who thinks they are above others.

Sally,

That is essentially what the definition that I provided says if you remove it from the context of governing.

Still wearing expensive shoes doesn't mean that you feel that you are above/better than most people. I means you have money and like nice shoes. Frankly $520 isn't that expensive for mens dress shoes, a decent pair can easily run $200.

And correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't it Hillary that originally labeled Obama an elitist when he made his comment about the people in PA clinging to guns and religion (A point I agree with him on but feel he should have expressed the idea more tactfully and it doesn't just apply to those in PA)?

I am not disputing what you wrote in any way just tried to respond to the post that sounded like they didn't know the definition of the word. Period. I think it is a slam word and up to individual interpretation.

Sally,

And I was just trying to save you the effort of digging up another defintion that didn't apply elitism just to governing.

The second point was intended for all just to reinforce previous posts I have made.

And the third point was also intended for all.

Nick Ford: My girlfriend and I do this all the time. We shop for all of our basic food necessities (meats, breads, and cereals at the least expensive places we can find. We routinely buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts for 1.29 per lb. Great whole grain breads for 1.29 per loaf. Good whole grain cereals for 1.72 per 17 oz box. We keep our freezer filled to the brim (runs more efficiently this way), and shop for specials on those items we can't find at our favorite store. We buy potatoes 10 pounds for 1.99. We are so lucky to have a food retailer in our area that buys extremely large amounts of food, and passes the savings on to the consumers. People travel 60 MILES ONE WAY to buy their staples at this store. We travel 25 miles one way to shop there!

Also, I hunt, and do my best to supplement our diet with game meats, whatever is in season.

Don't tell me it can't be done. We do it now

Great info, Constitutional Patriot. You should consider writing an article on this.

dc_123

It appears that you and others are ignorant of what elitist means. It does not mean rich; therefore, wearing $520 shoes does not make you an elitist.

It doesn't matter what I think 'elitist' means. It only matters what the common folk think. In their mind, $520 shoes makes you an elitist, especially if they belong to a droid like McCain who likes to pain others as elitist when they are not.

It doesn't matter what I think 'elitist' means. It only matters what the common folk think. In their mind, $520 shoes makes you an elitist, especially if they belong to a droid like McCain who likes to pain others as elitist when they are not.

I think it might make people think he is out of touch with them and the challenges that face the middle class, but to me not knowing how to use a computer, even for e-mail, is a better illustration of that. However, I can't see the people thinking either one of them are elitists. Do you think people actually believe McCain or Obama consider themselves better than or "above" the common man? If the common man is going to label rich people as elitist and are going to say elitism is a bad thing then then neither candidate passes muster.

And like I said in another post, I believe it was actually Hillary that first labeled Obama an elitist and to some extent the comments he made (at least how they were portrayed) did have an air of elitism(per proper definition) to them. Regardless, I couldn't have agreed more with his comments.

So I will ask you, my common man...

Are you trying to be cute? I only ask because, according to you, the "common man" is an idiot.

...how does calling the common man an idiot in any way imply that labeling a person an elitist can affect peoples opinion of a candidate?

Um, idiots are easy to fool? C'mon, it's really not that hard to understand. I think I've laid the issue out clearly.

and it is just as wrong for Democrats and their supporters to do these things as it is for McCain and the Republicans to do it

Agreed. But the fact remains that you can't ignore the issue. Kerry did it with the Swift Boaters, and look where it got him.

c a,

yes,

i thought of that but didn't think that is what you meant, i thought you were drawing some kind of illogical conclusion. yes the common man is easily distracted and duped.

But the fact remains that you can't ignore the issue. Kerry did it with the Swift Boaters, and look where it got him.

you don't defend yourself from being swifboated by swiftboating back. You defend yourself by immediately addressing the accusation in a forceful and persuasive manner.

you don't defend yourself from being swifboated by swiftboating back. You defend yourself by immediately addressing the accusation in a forceful and persuasive manner.

Sure, but Obama didn't write this story, as far as I can tell. And people should not be shy about pointing out the hypocrisy of the McCain attacks.

lol....i wish my kids ate like yours....

520 is only enough for a month for my family of six. produce isn' cheap and my kids eat fruit like you wouldn't believe.

Mangos in a blender w/milk goes a long way. Grapes & cherries are inexpensive.

determined--i will try that...

yes, grapes are cheap....i buy that and bananas and strawberries, and cantaloupe and pears and oranges and whatever else is decently priced, and then i have to buy a gallon of milk every day, and it doesn't help that my second oldest daughter, who has adhd, can eat more than a horse....

Constitutional Patriot:

You're eating for $260 for three months for two people? I'm impressed.

its just that I don't want to hear him make claims that hes an everyday guy and Obama some elite liberal...

Agreed. First it is a vague ambiguous term. 2nd it is based on opinion. 3rd it is designed to create FUD and distract from the issues.

They are both wealthy in a way that is hard for normal people to understand.

True but being rich has nothing to do with being an elitist.

Nice, PH,

I always suspected McCain was French and now I can help promulgate that rumor.

Don't worry, I won't name you, I will take the FOX News approach such as "Interested sources today mentioned McCain's obvious bias for the French springs from his French Ancestry..." or "Sources close to the 'McCain is French' Scandal have suggested McCain is in fact French.." Something along those lines. Or even resort to their famous, "Some are saying..."

I know they'll end up bringing the wife into it but that's bad news - like becoming FOX or Rush or BIll or any of those other blow hards..

SO every single solitary one of them is elitist compared to most of america(the median is below the mean in this country)

Not true they are all rich or at least well off. That does not make them elitists.

From the wiki page on it:

Elitism is the belief or attitude that those individuals who are considered members of the elite — a select group of people with outstanding personal abilities, intellect, wealth, specialized training or experience, or other distinctive attributes — are those whose views on a matter are to be taken the most seriously or carry the most weight; whose views and/or actions are most likely to be constructive to society as a whole; or whose extraordinary skills, abilities or wisdom render them especially fit to govern

There's a difference between the correct definition of a word and what that word means to the common folk.

Perry,

There's a difference between the correct definition of a word and what that word means to the common folk.

If we are going to say those that are rich are not fit to govern, history, at least US history, has proved this incorrect.

There's a difference between the correct definition of a word and what that word means to the common folk.

Truer words were never spoken.
Bravo.

ok fair enough.. but then you have to shoe more than shoes to claim mccain is elitist.
just saying they all can afford 500 dollar shoes

You mean the average person only has one home and one summer home? That's like poverty.

You mean the average person only has one home and one summer home? That's like poverty.

That is if you don't count the 31% who do not own a home (they rent):

and the 3+ million homeless people who do not own or rent

There are 1000 and more reasons to be against McCain.

I agree. Obama is trying to stay out of the gutter with his campaign. Hopefully that won't backfire. He needs to respond quickly and forcefully to BS that is put out there against him, but he does not need to resort to the same tactics as McCain. Obama has issues that he can argue. McCain has nothing.

Daniel,

Actually those shoes last no longer that any others, and a lot of times a lot less. My brother sold high line shoes for a number of years and the people that purchased them replaced them every year.

Does this make McCain elitist, no, but I firmly believe his concept on the common man is close to Phil Gramm's, just a bunch of whiners. He grew up as an Admiral's son in a Military environment where he was treated special, just because of who he was. Bottom line, if either candidate is more likely to be elitist it is McCain.

Is this relevant, only to the point that McCain and his campaign has made it so.

Roger,

I concede that people in that income class who can afford such shoes usually can also afford to replace them not because they're ruined but because they get bored of them… And for some people with lots of money, boredom is apparently the prime challenge in life…

I totally agree that McCain is in fact more elitist than Obama, but there are certainly better points to prove it than this ridiculous shoe issue.

My brother sold high line shoes for a number of years and the people that purchased them replaced them every year.

Probably not because they wore out, though. I've heard an assortment of wondrous things about high-end Italian shoes -- lasting decades with proper care and regular resoling, for example. Then again, $500 might not be at that level of high-end.

those simply dedicated to negative spin.

and as Obama would say designed to distract us from the real issues. If we discuss items like this as issues in four years we will be holding another election and the country will be facing the same problems it faces today except they will be worse because they will have been allowed to grow for 4 more years.

I was just content to have fun with it. How many of us did not have a sense of what the discussion would be like after we read the headline? Those that a "above" such stories or at-the-ready to defend McCain can't be surprised what they find here. They should just have fun with it for awhile and then move on the threads that are serious or substantial enough for them. Unless getting spunup with righteous indignation is the goal. I do that sometimes too. But on this? No way.

Obama and McCain aren't elitist, their egotist.
McCains' admission "In truth, I want to be president because it's my ambition to be president." Flat and simple, no other reason. Just to placate his ambition.
Obamas'. tailored speeches for different groups. Crowds frenzied by his pretentious words.

Is John McCain riding horses with his Ferragamo loafers? Methinks not.

Maybe. When you are wealthy, you can ride a horse with any shoes you want. The point is that there is nothing wrong with someone buying nice shoes just as much as there is nothing wrong with a person driving a Maserati, if they can afford it. I am pretty sure that, if they could, 90% of Americans would wear Ferragamo loafers.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with McCain buying expensive shoes. If I was rich, I would too. This wouldn't be an issue, except that Democrats, like John Edwards, are criticized for this sort of thing. It's hypocritical to suggest that it's not an issue for McCain to be rich, but it is for Edwards.

McCain doesn't need expensive shoes any more than Edwards needed an expensive haircut. If you criticize one, you've gotta criticize the other. I'd much rather that this kind of bull@!$%# story not even come up, because the media would be so full of actually analyzing the issues.

except that Democrats, like John Edwards, are criticized for this sort of thing. It's hypocritical to suggest that it's not an issue for McCain to be rich, but it is for Edwards.

Edwards is criticized for his haircuts because his entire message is that of class separation, ex. "son of a millworker, etc. Someone who has built his reputation on protecting the little guy, shouldn't be so hypocritical.