¡Viva, Meg!

Chris Carlson/A.P.

In response to a Nannygate question, Meg Whitman’s canned answer in last night’s debate —  “I think we’ve moved beyond Gloria Allred and her political stunt” — was designed to frame the story as yesterday’s news.

Well, we’ll see. This wire photo, which was shot last week at a Hispanic awards gala, is both surprising and funny to the extent it plays on elitism, gorging and laying it down for the white man as the latter suggests itself in Whitman’s relationship with her former housekeeper. Whitman might like to think she’s put the issue behind her, but all-too-often, images like this can serve to reflect a perception in the public consciousness about a candidate’s character — the electorate typically being smarter about personality than the pundits and the press give it credit for.

Now, how about that “La Cucaracha,” José?

(caption: California Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, right, and her husband Griff Harsh listen to mariachi music during a campaign stop at the Hispanic 100 Lifetime Achievement Award Gala in Newport Beach, Calif., Friday, Oct. 8, 2010.)