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BY Rob Walker

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In the thick of a heated midterm electoral season, the Cheesecake Factory, of all things, became the latest brand to get sucked into a political food fight against its will. This week, Democrats and Republicans converted the familiar restaurant into a symbol for who is and isn’t out of touch with mainstream America. But largely because the chain has remained stoically above the fray, the incident has worked out rather sweetly for the restaurant.

The fracas started with a remark last weekend from former President Barack Obama, poking fun at current President Donald Trump’s focus on renovation projects and penchant for maximum aesthetic opulence.

“He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory,” Obama joked.…