Part of the reason that Putnam's article resonated so strongly outside elite circles-- People magazine profiled him in a bowling alley--is that in using the example of bowling, that staple of 1950s, Putnam touched on a powerful chord of nostalgia for the America of that golden decade.
Putnam's article was received well outside of elite circles.
If anything, the exposure of his bias makes it easier to accept his arguments where government action is concerned.