"Although Americans say they want average guys, they really don't," Will said. "Voters want superior people with the common touch. No one really wants to be governed by his next-door neighbor."
Will cited the example of former President Jimmy Carter, who appealed to citizens as a down-home, peanut farmer. But while Carter certainly emphasized his agrarian roots, he was also known as a nuclear engineer and graduate of the elite Naval Academy.
Vice President Al Gore Jr. '69 appears to be employing a modified version of Carter's approach. Eager to reminisce about his days as a farmer in Tennessee, Gore has been noticeably reticent about his prep school and Harvard education.
Brains and Bucks
Rep. James H. Maloney III '70 (D-Conn.), who was elected in 1996, confirmed that a University network exists, at least in national politics.
Once a year, Maloney said, Harvard graduates serving in Congress are invited to a cocktail reception in Washington.
David Broder, a political analyst and senior Washington Post correspondent, suggested that the network extends beyond Washington and includes not only office-holders but also advisers and strategists.
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