Sarah Palin's appeal is not to the American working class... a majority of whom voted for Obama... her appeal is to the "Ugly American"....   the proudly ignorant, bigoted, self satisfied members of our society who believe that they inherently deserve the benefits they have because they had the good sense to be born in America. Or something along those lines...

Their parents and grandparents, etc. came to the "Land of Opportunity" and managed to prosper. Their descendents feel "entitled" to the benefits of that prosperity, but begrudge extending those opportunities to "others". The hypocrisy of the "privileged class" in a supposedly classless nation.

The founders of this country were intellectuals... who were also practical. They knew how work with their hands, understood scientific method, were well read and followed an ideal. They practiced "enlightened self interest" by creating a social system filled with checks and balances to prevent human nature and petty self interest from destroying that system.

Sarah Palin is the poster child for petty self interest.