It worked just fine for Abraham Lincoln: The rags-to-riches story that paints a candidate as a person of the people.

In Abe's case it was true -- beginnings don't get much humbler than his -- but also highly simplified. By the time he ran for president, Lincoln was far removed from the rail-splitter portrayed to voters. That's usually how it is.

It's a natural tactic, one that portrays the candidate as a go-getter who overcame the odds, and deflects attention from his/her wealth, which often is at levels that voters can't even imagine.

Connecticut Republican Linda McMahon has employed the strategy well in her campaign for the U.S. Senate.

"I've gone from bankruptcy at the beginning of my career, of losing my home, losing cars, not (being) able to get any credit, to rebuilding, and now having a company that grew from a small family business, you know, to a global brand," the World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder told a news agency in January.

Similar pronouncements have formed a constant refrain throughout her campaign.

Which is fine. What candidate with her background wouldn't want to tell that story? But a candidate who takes that route should own the entire tale.

Ms. McMahon has refused requests to speak about the details of her and her husband's bankruptcy, and her campaign claims questions about it amount to "political attacks."

Not so. Not when a candidate has made it a centerpiece of her narrative.

There are legitimate questions raised by the bankruptcy story. For example: If it shows Ms. McMahon to be a person of fortitude, who can relate to financial hardship, does it also show her to be someone who felt obliged to repay her creditors once she struck it fabulously rich?

The closest thing to an answer that we've received came from campaign spokesman Ed Patru: "(The McMahons) repaid some of their debts ... but bankruptcy is fundamentally designed to create a fresh start."

A candidate who basks in the glow of a rags-to-riches story but who won't discuss the details is trying to have it both ways. It's not becoming of a candidate who promises to be a change from "politics as usual."