The complicated political dynamics between rich presidential candidates and poorer ones far predate the 20th century.
The wealth, or lack of it, of the presidential candidates, or potential presidential candidates, is emerging as an issue in the presidential race.
On the Democratic side of things, the matter was thrown into sharp relief by the juxtaposition of the two big news items of the weekend. First, Maureen Dowd’s New York Times column reported that Vice President Biden is taking a fresh look at whether to run. Ms. Dowd reported a conversation between Biden and his dying son in which Beau Biden said, “Dad, I know you don’t give a damn about money.” And second, Hillary and Bill Clinton reported adjusted gross income totaling about $139 million for the years 2007 through 2014, including $875,000 for four speeches to Goldman Sachs.
On the Republican side, the last 8 public polls indicate that the leading candidate is also the wealthiest one—Donald Trump, who declared his net worth to be $10 billion (Bloomberg reports the actual figure is closer to $2.9 billion). Trump is trailed by the former governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, who earned a reported $28.5 million in household adjusted gross income for 2007 through 2013; and by the governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker. Walker makes a point on the campaign trail of talking about working at McDonald’s and using coupons to shop for discounted clothing. “We didn’t inherit fame or fortune from our family,” Walker says.
