McCain and his Houses

The most important issue on the campaign trail today: John McCain is unsure about how many houses he and wife, Cindy, own.

POLITICO: How many houses do you and Mrs. McCain have?

McCAIN: "I think, uh... I'll have my staff get to you... It's condominiums where — I'll have them get to you."

I think it's a mistake for Obama's camp to be focusing on McCain's property.

Why would they want to go there, given Obama's very shady real estate dealings with Tony Rezko?

From Politico:

McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said in response: "Does a guy who made more than $4 million last year, just got back from vacation on a private beach in Hawaii and bought his own million-dollar mansion with the help of a convicted felon really want to get into a debate about houses? Does a guy who worries about the price of arugula and thinks regular people 'cling' to guns and religion in the face of economic hardship really want to have a debate about who’s in touch with regular Americans?

“The reality is that Barack Obama’s plans to raise taxes and opposition to producing more energy here at home as gas prices skyrocket show he’s completely out of touch with the concerns of average Americans.”

At a campaign appearance in Chester, Va., on Thursday morning, Obama said: "Somebody asked John McCain, 'How many houses do you have?’ And he said, I’m not sure. I’ll have to check with my staff. True quote: I’m not sure, I’ll have to check with my staff. So they asked his staff and he said, at least four. At least four! ...

"If you’re like me and you’ve got one house – or you were like the millions of people who are struggling right now to keep up with their mortgage so that they don’t lose their home — you might have a different perspective. By the way, the answer is: John McCain has seven homes. So there’s just a fundamental gap of understanding between John McCain's world and what people are going through every single day here in America."

That's right Obama is just a regular guy, struggling to pay off college loans, and keep a roof over his head. Right.

"If you’re like me and you’ve got one house – or you were like the millions of people who are struggling right now to keep up with their mortgage so that they don’t lose their home — you might have a different perspective."

Blah, blah, blah.

GIVE ME A BREAK!

We're not like you, Obama. My one house is not like your one house.

Yes, most of us know how many houses we own, but we also know that there are 50 states.

"Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states? I think one left to go. Alaska and Hawaii, I was not allowed to go to even though I really wanted to visit, but my staff would not justify it."

But I digress.

There's no way that Obama will succeed in painting McCain as a wealthy, out of touch elitist when he's jetting to Switzerland for a $10,000 a plate fundraiser hosted by George Clooney.

Obama is romping in Hawaii's surf, while his half-brother George is living in a shack in Nairobi on less than one dollar a month.

Couldn't Obama send George a few bucks from some of the millions he has made from book sales?

After all, Obama did mention George in his autobiography, "describing him in just one passing paragraph as a 'beautiful boy with a rounded head.'"

Speaking of out of touch, Obama is out of touch with his own family.

Let's focus on Obama's brother's house, a tiny 6'x 9' shack.

Couldn't wealthy Obama send George just a little money to help his brother upgrade to a stately 12'x 18' shack?

The Obamas may not be as wealthy YET as the McCains or own as much property, but I don't think convicted felon Tony Rezko did any favors to help McCain acquire a mansion or a lot, like he did for Obama.
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OBAMA'S ATTACK AD on McCain and his houses: