For many years, I’ve disliked the intrusion of the personal — the sentimentally and smarmily personal — into politics. You know: politicians and their various family tragedies, perfectly tailored to various electoral situations. (Think Bill Clinton’s vice president.) And yet some of the personal has a natural and right place in politics — always has.

A reader has reminded me that conservative Republicans are always portrayed as heartless SOBs. (Like I needed reminding!) They were surely portrayed that way at the Democratic convention — made out to be richy-riches who laugh at coal miners with lung cancer.

But can’t reality sometimes make a dent? Once in a while, just now and then? I think of this with the McCains and their adoptive daughter (who had absolutely zero prospects in that orphanage). Or Jesse and “Dot” Helms, with their adoptive son (severely handicapped). Or the Palins with their family love.

Will reality ever overcome a deeply ingrained, carefully tended stereotype? Fat chance — but it can make inroads, I think.

By the way, do you know my favorite definition of a Marxist? “Someone who loves humanity in groups of one million or more.”