McCain Can't Remember How Many Houses He Owns

[Bob Juch]

John McCain said in an interview with Politico on Wednesday "that he was uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own." "I think -- I'll have my staff get to you," McCain said. "It's condominiums where -- I'll have them get to you." The answer, according to the group Progressive Accountability, is an even 10 homes, ranches, condos, and lofts, together worth a combined estimated $13,823,269.

[NellyLunatic1980]

And they say Obama is the elitist?

[smilergrogan]

estimated $13,823,269.

They must have rounded to the nearest dollar. I'll wait for a more precise figure before forming an opinion.

[Appa23]

And they say Obama is the elitist?

Elitism has nothing to do with how much money/houses/stuff a person had.

It has everything to do with how they act and interact.


Warren Buffett is the world's richest man (or top 3 depending on stock prices), and no one can call him elitist.

[SportsFan68]

The heck with the houses -- he can't remember what he said about my water a week ago, which was that the Colorado River Compact "needs to be renegotiated over time amongst the interested parties."

"I think that there's a movement amongst the governors to try, if not to, quote, renegotiate, certainly adjust to the new realities of high growth, or greater demands on a scarcer resource," McCain said.

Colorado's governor has no interest in any adjustments, or pretty soon every drop will be headed outside the borders to Phoenix and California realities of high growth.

Anyway, McCain wrote to Wayne Allard yesterday, "My recent remarks may have been mistakenly construed as a call to rescind the Colorado River Compact and commence negotiatons for new water allocations. Let me be clear that I do not advocate renegotiation of the Compact."

That's better. I'm sure that Sen. Salazar and Gov. Ritter will help you remember that one.

[gsabc]

And they say Obama is the elitist?

Elitism has nothing to do with how much money/houses/stuff a person had.

It has everything to do with how they act and interact.


Warren Buffett is the world's richest man (or top 3 depending on stock prices), and no one can call him elitist.

"Elitist" or not, I get tired of the Congresscritters and other high-level elected officials, many of whom were born into rich and/or famous and/or connected families and didn't make their own way out of low or middle class beginnings, telling us how they're "one of the regular folks". They haven't a freakin' clue.

Note: I am NOT saying that either candidate here is in this group. Obama certainly came from modest means. And while the McCain name probably helped, the armed services do tend to weed out those unable to perform.

[ne1410s]

I get tired of the Congresscritters and other high-level elected officials, many of whom were born into rich and/or famous and/or connected families and didn't make their own way out of low or middle class beginnings, telling us how they're "one of the regular folks". They haven't a freakin' clue.

I fear that McCain is one of those turds who was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple.

[BackInTex]

I get tired of the Congresscritters and other high-level elected officials, many of whom were born into rich and/or famous and/or connected families and didn't make their own way out of low or middle class beginnings, telling us how they're "one of the regular folks". They haven't a freakin' clue.

I fear that McCain is one of those turds who was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple.

You, my friend, are an being an idot.

While John McCain was born into the military, he did earn his way, in every sense there is.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

I think that McCain earned his way into his wealth only becaue he married somebody with money.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

I think that McCain earned his way into his wealth only becaue he married somebody with money.

One could almost say that he is a trophy husband.

[Bob Juch]

I get tired of the Congresscritters and other high-level elected officials, many of whom were born into rich and/or famous and/or connected families and didn't make their own way out of low or middle class beginnings, telling us how they're "one of the regular folks". They haven't a freakin' clue.

I fear that McCain is one of those turds who was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple.

You, my friend, are an being an idot.

While John McCain was born into the military, he did earn his way, in every sense there is.

Oh really? He became a Navy pilot, crashed twice and flew into power lines. He was shot down and held prisoner. He received better treatment than he would have otherwise because he was an admiral's son. When he got home he screwed around on his wife. He then became the Navy's liaison to the U.S. Senate due to his father's connections. He then meets Cindy and after a while gets divorced and married her. He then retires on a disability pension. After moving to Arizona he is elected to the House where he fully supports Regan's policies. After being elected as Senator, he becomes on of the Keating Five. Need I go on?

[silverscreenselect]

I get tired of the Congresscritters and other high-level elected officials, many of whom were born into rich and/or famous and/or connected families and didn't make their own way out of low or middle class beginnings, telling us how they're "one of the regular folks". They haven't a freakin' clue.

I fear that McCain is one of those turds who was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple.

McCain had the chance to use his connections when it was literally a life and death situation. He could have gotten out of the POW camp early because of who he was and chose not to. I doubt a lot of other people, including our current president, would have done the same thing.

This line of attack on McCain is a loser, and the fact that the Obama thinks they are onto something shows just how out of touch he is. Being elitist is not a matter of how much money one has; it's a matter of the opinion you have of yourself in regard to other people.

My wife's cousin has a doctorate in some field in philosophy. He knows about all the French authors and the French and Italian films and all the philsophers of the last few centuries. The only job he had his entire life was as a college professor and when he lost that due to the fact that he was nuts, he spent years on food stamps, sharing cat food with his cats. This guy, who is probably worse off than most people working at McDonalds, is the biggest elitist I've ever seen because he thinks he is on a level so far above the rest of us. Naturally, at family get togethers, everyone runs in the other direction whenever he shows up.

McCain's celebrity ad wasn't about how much money Obama has vis-a-vis McCain. It's about how caught up he is in the limelight and how out of touch with real people he is, which is why it has traction. McCain and Cindy spent a couple of days in the middle of nowhere South Dakota with a bunch of bikers. If there's one audience that wouldn't have stood still for a phony elitist (of either party; I can't imagine Mitt Romney going there), it would have been bikers, but McCain had no problems. I doubt you will see Obama go bowling with those guys in the near future.

[TheConfessor]

You, my friend, are an being an idot.

I have a hard time keeping up with all these new products from Apple. What's the deal on the idot? Is it smaller than a nano?

[ulysses5019]

You, my friend, are an being an idot.

I have a hard time keeping up with all these new products from Apple. What's the deal on the idot? Is it smaller than a nano?

It's a big hit in India.

[wintergreen48]

John McCain said in an interview with Politico on Wednesday "that he was uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own." "I think -- I'll have my staff get to you," McCain said. "It's condominiums where -- I'll have them get to you." The answer, according to the group Progressive Accountability, is an even 10 homes, ranches, condos, and lofts, together worth a combined estimated $13,823,269.

Actually, the headline to this thread is probably inaccurate, as I am pretty certain that McCain knows exactly how many houses he owns-- he does not own any at all. All the wealth is Cindy's, and there is a pre-nup which pretty much excludes him from pretty much everything. He gets the benefit of her wealth while they are married (same as John Kerry and Theresa), but the wealth is not his. They have gone to huge lengths to keep him 'insulated' from her property, and I suspect that he makes it a point NOT to know too much about what is there. He probably does know how many houses and such he and Cindy occupy from time to time, but I doubt that he knows-- or has real reason to know-- which ones she actually 'owns,' which ones some family trust 'owns,' which ones are leases, etc.

Bogus issue.

At least he never bought a million dollar house with the help of a convicted felon...

[Bob Juch]

At least he never bought a million dollar house with the help of a convicted felon...

Are you sure about that?

[mcd1400de]

...After being elected as Senator, he becomes one of the Keating Five...

Sigh.

[trevor_macfee]

John McCain said in an interview with Politico on Wednesday "that he was uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own." "I think -- I'll have my staff get to you," McCain said. "It's condominiums where -- I'll have them get to you." The answer, according to the group Progressive Accountability, is an even 10 homes, ranches, condos, and lofts, together worth a combined estimated $13,823,269.

Actually, the headline to this thread is probably inaccurate, as I am pretty certain that McCain knows exactly how many houses he owns-- he does not own any at all. All the wealth is Cindy's, and there is a pre-nup which pretty much excludes him from pretty much everything. He gets the benefit of her wealth while they are married (same as John Kerry and Theresa), but the wealth is not his. They have gone to huge lengths to keep him 'insulated' from her property, and I suspect that he makes it a point NOT to know too much about what is there. He probably does know how many houses and such he and Cindy occupy from time to time, but I doubt that he knows-- or has real reason to know-- which ones she actually 'owns,' which ones some family trust 'owns,' which ones are leases, etc.

Bogus issue.

At least he never bought a million dollar house with the help of a convicted felon...

I agree that the house stuff is not relevant, as is all the personal attack stuff on both sides (including the little attack-jab stuck in there at the end of the post).

But . . . I find this stuff about McCain too funny. From this post, I got a picture him being led from house to house by Cindy, blindfolded so he doesn't know where or whose house he's in. Once he's in the house, he asks, not thinking, "So where are we?" As she starts to answer, he runs out of the room, screaming, "DON'T TELL ME! DON'T TELL ME!"

Later, as they entertain, a guest asks Cindy, "So, when did you buy this place." And John covers his ears and starts to hum a little tune.

Poor man.

[NellyLunatic1980]

...After being elected as Senator, he becomes one of the Keating Five...

Sigh.

As soon as I saw Bob mention the Keating Five, I thought to myself, "Uh-oh. MCD is gonna get mad again."

[Bob Juch]

...After being elected as Senator, he becomes one of the Keating Five...

Sigh.

As soon as I saw Bob mention the Keating Five, I thought to myself, "Uh-oh. MCD is gonna get mad again."

What I have to laugh about is that most of the McCain backers today were Bush backers in 2000 who jumped on every smear they saw about McCain.

[frogman042]

One thing that has always endeared me to McCain was a story I read way back in 2000 - he was asked when he decided to run for president and his reply was along the lines of 'I decided to run when I walked into a room, Angela Lansbury was there and she turned over the Queen of Diamonds'

Given his history and the great reference to The Manchurian Candidate - I must admit I was charmed. I wont ever vote for him, but that one story means I will always have a small, soft spot in my heart for him.

---Jay (If you know how old Janet Leigh was the year Three On A Couch came out - you will also know...)

[gsabc]

One thing that has always endeared me to McCain was a story I read way back in 2000 - he was asked when he decided to run for president and his reply was along the lines of 'I decided to run when I walked into a room, Angela Lansbury was there and she turned over the Queen of Diamonds'

Cute, but did he ever really answer the question?

[mcd1400de]

...After being elected as Senator, he becomes one of the Keating Five...

Sigh.

As soon as I saw Bob mention the Keating Five, I thought to myself, "Uh-oh. MCD is gonna get mad again."

Not mad, just... wistful, perhaps.

This opinion piece by Maureen Dowd, originally published in the NYT a few days after my eps aired, still makes for interesting reading now, 9 years later:

Liberties; The McCain Mutiny

Ironic side note: McCain's "Faith of Our Fathers" was released shortly after Dowd's piece ran. However, USA Today had already run an article -- in which the Keating Five was prominently mentioned -- previewing the memoir.

Too bad it was in the issue delivered to the doorstep of my hotel room the morning AFTER my last taping...

[wintergreen48]

What I have to laugh about is that most of the McCain backers today were Bush backers in 2000 who jumped on every smear they saw about McCain.

Extreme generalization, which I suspect is extremely wrong, as is usually the case with extremism.

The people who 'jumped on every smear they saw about McCain' in 2000 are unlikely to support McCain at all: they are the ones who are threatening to sit out the election, because they do not think that McCain is an 'authentic conservative' (or something). 'Those people' are essentially the right-wing equivalent of SSS and others like him who are willing to cut off their noses (in SSS's case, refusing to be part of the Obamanation) in order to spite their faces. McCain's biggest hurdle is probably going to be overcoming the mind set of 'those people' who actually did buy into the smears of 2000, and getting them to support him ('those people' are generally part of the far right wing core that usually votes Republican, at least, when they aren't going off for some fringe third party loon), just as Obama's biggest hurdle seems to be overcoming the mind set of 'those other people' who lost their bleeding hearts to Hilary, and getting them to support him ('those other people' are generally part of the far left wing core that usually votes reliably Democratic, when they aren't going off for some fringe third party loon).

[silverscreenselect]

'Those people' are essentially the right-wing equivalent of SSS and others like him who are willing to cut off their noses (in SSS's case, refusing to be part of the Obamanation) in order to spite their faces.

I am not cutting off my nose to spite my face. I am well aware of what John McCain is and what he is likely to do. I don't know what Obama would do and that scares me even more so than McCain's tendencies. McCain may fly off the handle; he will probably be more aggressive in his foreign policy than I would like. He won't be a blithering idiot like Bush. Obama is likely to send out trial balloons and see what public response is before he decides what to do.

McCain won't be able to push through a radically conservative agenda with a Democratic Congress and he's going to have to make some compromises. I trust his integrity far more than I do Obama's.

I believe that America is better off in the long run with the Democratic party. I believe that in the short run, America and the Democratic party are both better off with John McCain than Barack Obama.