As racism becomes less overt and more hidden, our examination of the language (along with the society) must become more stringent in detecting its remnants. Mr. Shipler examines the recent flurry of charges against Barack Obama for being elitist. From the Shipler article:

Whether by calculation or coincidence, Hillary Clinton and Republicans who have attacked Barack Obama for elitism have struck a chord in a long-standing symphony of racial codes.

Shipler has written numerous articles and books. Here is an audio interview with Mr. Shipler from 2005 by the New York Times about his book, The Working Poor: Invisible in America.