Go here for a very interesting discussion in the San Francisco Examiner of the conflict between the "elitist left" and the "populist left." I have nothing to add to this discussion as I have no particular expertise concerning the left.
On the other hand, perhaps this dichotomy gives us insight concerning what has recently happened on the right - our operational territory. The populist right was excited about Sarah Palin, whereas the elitist right couldn't stand her. Ditto the division of opinion between the social conservatives (i.e., religious right) and the fiscal/foreign policy conservatives (i.e., "country club Republicans"). The former tend to be populist while the latter tend to be elitist.
I suspect each of the "big tent" major parties struggles with a social class division between the populist (i.e., "lower middle and working class") and the elitist (i.e., "upper and upper middle class") wings of the party. We seldom get so clear an opportunity to consider it.
