How the Cheesecake Factory got dragged into a midterms food fight

The Cheesecake Factory finds itself in the middle of the midterms war of words after former President Obama used the restaurant chain to mock President Trump's White House makeover. Why it matters: Obama's jab has ignited a debate over class and cultural elitism, with conservatives accusing the former president of looking down on ordinary Americans.Driving the news: On Saturday, former President Obama criticized Trump's changes to the White House during a rally in Ohio for Democratic Senate candidate Sherrod Brown and gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton."I mean, I don't know if you've noticed, but he seems very focused on home renovations," Obama said. "He should be on HGTV."He added: "What's up with the gold? I mean, he's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory."Trump attacked Obama in a Truth Social post hours later, though he did not directly address the Cheesecake Factory remark.The backdrop: Obama was mocking Trump's extensive White House renovations, including construction of a ballroom and the addition of elaborate gold decorations to the Oval Office.Obama's broader criticism was that Trump is prioritizing White House renovations over lower…

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