Steven Stark writes:
There's no doubt that Edwards made a mistake with the haircut, and that wealthy populist candidates are not easily forgiven for reminding people that they have money. But most candidates on the trail spend a lot on personal appearances -- it's part of the game. [...]
No, Edwards's problem is different, and it's not even about his politics. It's about a piece of paper that hangs -- or doesn't hang -- on the wall of his office.
Edwards, you see, didn't go to Harvard or Yale.
In the Democratic landscape of 2007, that doesn't seem as if it should be a problem. But you'd have to go back to 1984 to find a Democratic nominee (Walter Mondale) who didn't attend one of those elite universities for either college or graduate school.
Last election we had two members of the very same Yale secret society running against each other. This election, one of the frontrunners from the family that controlled the White House for eight of the last 20 years is running to replace a member of the family that's controlled in for twelve of the last 20 years. And it's overwhelmingly likely that whoever we nominate will be from Yale or Harvard. It's quite a sight.
