President Nixon: Alone in the White House 17

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.