re: #3 wrenchwench

I was referring to his hardscrabble California agricultural background.

That his family owned orchards did not make them or him overly wealthy or elitists.

Not everyone who works land they own is elitist.

Further, while VDH is connected with Hoover that in no way means they cannot offer up a clear picture. Stanford is a world class institution with a world class faculty and staff. I see no reason their opinions are of lesser value than say, the opinions of the faculty or staff of the Kennedy School of Government opining on one of their own.

While Hoover is indeed conservative, that by no means makes them irrelevant. They are not considered a marginal group by anyone.