Wealthiest bolted the Republicans during Bush-Rove, aren't hurt much by Obama as 3 of 4 job losses are blue collar

• 8/10/10, "Wealthy Dems stand by Obama," Real Clear Politics, by D.P. Kuhn

"That wealthiest bloc represented the largest marginal shift in support of any income bracket

• between 2004 and 2008.

Obama won 52 percent of their support. George W. Bush won 63 percent of the bloc four years earlier, according to exit polls.

Yet households earning at least 150k offer a bigger picture of the affluent voter. This bloc constituted 12 percent of the 2008 electorate. It includes not only top earners but also those who can more-reasonably expect to be top earners someday. The larger sample size also offers a more accurate statistical measure.

• Obama won this affluent bloc by a 50 to 48 percent margin.
  

• Bush won 60 percent of the bloc in 2004.

Affluent Americans are not broadly pleased with the president. Only 43 percent approved of Obama in June and July.

• But few of Obama's affluent supporters have turned on him.
  

That's the salient point. In effect, almost

• half of affluent adults can be considered part of the Democratic base.

These are the Americans who especially don't vote their economic interest. They are more likely to

• identify as liberal, live in a city and reside near a coast.

• They are also less likely to be a serious casualty of the financial crisis.
  

The Wall Street crisis came to define the Great Recession.

• But about three in four job losses have been blue collar.
  

That suggests affluent Democrats are not only voting their

• social interest over their economic interest.
  

They are also less likely to have their current political allegiance questioned by their economic interest."...

• via Hot Air