On page 519 of President Nixon: Alone in the White House, Richard Reeves quotes a diary entry in which Richard Nixon said the following:
"The
American leader class has really had it in terms of their ability to
lead. It's really sickening to have to receive them at the White House
as I often do and to hear them whine and whimper and that's one of the
reasons why I enjoy very much more receiving labor leaders and people
from middle America who still have character and guts and a bit of
patriotism....Frankly, I have more in common with them from a personal
standpoint than does McGovern or the intellectuals generally. They like
labor as a mass. I like them individually...."
This makes me
think about those with whom I connect, and those with whom I don't. I'd
say that I have a hard time connecting with both your average
working-Joe, and also with many of the intellectual types. But I do
respect both----and not just because I as a Christian am obligated to
respect all human beings, but also because both work hard and try to
cope with the world, with all of their vulnerabilities.