New York Times' Dripping Cultural Elitism

The New York Times had a piece about how people in Minnesota feel about the contested election that has resulted in the board of elections certifying Al Franken as Minnesota's newest senator. Some are annoyed, others have become more civically engaged. The story reads about how you'd expect a story about such a close election to read. Except, of course, the Times just couldn't help itself from a reference to the state's folksiness, almost dripping with Fargo-esque references:

Like a January wind-chill, the back-and-forth between Norm Coleman, the Republican incumbent, and his challenger, Al Franken, a Democrat — and the forever process of recounting and lawyerly sniping that has gone on since Election Day — is getting a little old even in this capital city of flat-voweled upper Midwest niceness.

God. I mean, I get it. Minnesota is different from New York, but come on. Not that different. The rest of the article reads like a straight news piece about a contested election in any other part of the country. But the Times just cannot give up noting how "cute" and "different" states like Minnesota and North Dakota are. I believe they might call it flyover country. As a Minnesota native, I'm getting tired of it. Stop. Please stop.