Debate moderator Tim Russert goes out of his way to remind viewers of his Buffalo blue collar background in a question he asks about Hillary's economic plan....

I’ve had a chance to read it very carefully. It does say that you pledge to create 5 million new jobs over ten years. And I was reminded of your campaign in 2000, in Buffalo — my hometown, just three hours down Route 90 — where you pledged 200,000 new jobs for Upstate New York. There’s been a net loss of 30,000 jobs.

Russert is at the top of his profession. Why does he need to waste our time telling us what a salt-of-the-earth blue collar background he has? Why do we need to be told that he knows something about what's where on "Route 90"? Do we really care?