re: levels of egotism
Thinking of one's self as "superior" is the first step to becoming a Republican.
You want to look at some typical well-known Democrats and Republicans, and then rethink that a bit?
The Democratic Party is elitist down to the bone, firmly set in the opinion that the average American is mostly ignorant and/or incompetent, and must be guided, or even forced, in almost every aspect of their lives.
Hell, it's the premise of this whole thread.