Are Americans a " nation of whiners"?

They are, at least according to former Senator Phil Gramm.

Gramm is a top economic adviser for McCain, he made the statement in an interview with the Washington Times.
He added : " You've heard of mental depression, this is a mental recession ". He went on to peddle the talking points of the Bush administration that " The US was not in an economic recession" and then said in closing " We have sort of become a nation of whinners".

I am sure people losing their jobs, houses and their 401 k's ( if they still have any) will be happy about the ludicrous statement. Today, the numbers were in; the foreclosures were up by 50 % from last year. Is this our imagination, Mr. Gramm? Gas is at record high and the dollar at record low. When was the last time you went to a gas station, Mr. Gramm? Are you aware of the 9 trillion deficit Mr.Gramm?

In politic you are only as good as the people you hire as " adviser", and getting Gramm in his team says a lot about McCain's judgement.

McCain moved quickly to limit the political damage caused by the comment of former Texas Senator Gramm. " Phil Gramm does not speak for me. I speak for me. So I strongly disagree " McCain said.

Yet, McCain picked Gramm in his "team", and quite often,in political campaigns the freudian slips of advisers reflect the real position of the boss. In the case of Gramm and McCain, it shows the disconnect that the very wealthy have with the real struggle of the middle class ( at least what is left of it).

Obama went on the attack saying: " It's not a figment of the imagination, it's not all in your head. I think it is time we have a president who doesn't deny our problems..or blame American people for them."