Mitch Daniels Says Indiana Voted for Obama as a "Fashion Statement"

I've never been a fan of Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana. I've disagreed with many of his policies and I've criticized him for not being more involved in the legislative process and for failing to use the office of Governor as a bully pulpit (although given what he has to say, maybe I should keep that criticism to myself). That said, I've never really thought that he was a bad guy, just someone with whom I had political disagreements. Then I read this article in the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette that included this lovely statement from a speech Gov. Daniels gave earlier today in Washington:

"A lot of upper income people that I saw vote for him, it was a luxury purchase in the sense that it didn't seem threat a threat economically, there was the history of it, there was the natural desire for change after a period of poor results," Daniels said.

"Quite honestly, it was a fashion statement vote for some people. I'm not disparaging that. People wanted to demonstrate enthusiasm for a society that could elect an African-American president.

It was a "fashion statement" for the wealthy to vote for Obama? It had nothing to do with the war, tanking economy, belief that the Republicans had lost respect for the Constitution, distrust of Republican positions on social issues, or any of a huge number of other issues? I'm not sure whether Gov. Daniels' statement is more offensive to President Obama (in a racist sort of way) or patronizing to the the majority of Hoosiers who voted for him.
To go along with those thoughts, Daniels added:

"The meanest people in American politics are on the left, bar none. No conservative I know can hold a candle to sheer outright meanness. Of course, that comes from believing that power is everything and winning is the only thing that matters, which we do not believe," he said.

Daniels said conservatives will also make further strides if they embrace his advice: "I think we must be a friendly political movement."

He recalled Ronald Reagan's caution that "we have no enemies, only opponents. We are all Americans, after all."

Right. I guess that would explain those shouts of "Kill him" and "traitor" and "terrorist" being shouted at Barack Obama during the campaign or the popularity of Ann Coulter and books like Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism or the current cries of racism from Limbaugh and Gingrich and their gang or efforts of Republicans to disenfranchise as many low income or minority voters as they can or that whole torture thing that Vice President Cheney and much of the right are so enamored with. I guess what I find really funny (in a sad sort of way) is that Reagan's caution (which I was unfamiliar with) is precisely what I've said repeatedly in this blog over the last year and a half; however, it hasn't been the liberals that have been worrying me....

Do you suppose that this is another step that Gov. Daniels is taking to positioning himself as a potential Presidential candidate in 2012?