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TechnoratiMcCain Unsure How Many Houses He Owns
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in an interview 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 told Politico in Las Cruces, N.M. "It's condominiums where - I'll have them get to you."
The correct answer is at least four, located in Arizona, California and Virginia, according to his staff. Newsweek estimated this summer that the couple owns at least seven properties.
In recent weeks, Democrats have stepped up their effort to caricature McCain as living an outlandishly rich lifestyle - a bit of payback to the GOP for portraying Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) as an elitist, and for turning the spotlight in 2004 on the five homes owned by Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry.
Pro-Obama labor groups have sent out mailers highlighting McCain's wealth, and prominent Democrats have included references to it in comments to reporters.
Twice in the past two weeks, those Democrats have focused on McCain's houses.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) told Politico's Ben Smith that it was McCain "who wears $500 shoes, has six houses and comes from one of the richest families in his state."
And David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist, referred in an interview with Adam Nagourney of The New York Times to an imagined meeting of McCain strategists "on the portico of the McCain estate in Sedona - or maybe in one of his six other houses."
The Obama campaign seized on the house issue Thursday with an ad called "Seven," claiming that's the number of houses McCain has.
The ad closes with a shot of the White House and the narration: "Here's ONE house American can't afford to let John McCain move into."
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."
McCain's comments came four days after he initially told Pastor Rick Warren during a faith forum on Sunday his threshold for considering someone rich is $5 million - a careless comment he quickly corrected.
In the interview, McCain did not offer an alternate number, but had a new answer ready.
"I define rich in other ways besides income," he said. "Some people are wealthy and rich in their lives and their children and their ability to educate them. Others are poor if they're billionaires."
McCain, by anyone's measure, is well-off, if you account for his wife's fortune. Cindy McCain inherited control of her father's beer distributorship, the largest in Arizona, and has an estimated worth of more than $100 million.
Carrie Budoff Brown and Ben Smith contributed to this article.
46 Comments so far
Show AllThe "guy" may give us a "REAK", if he's the one with his finger on the red button.
Give the guy a break....McBush is unsure ofhow many pairs of Depends he went through yesterday, let alone how much shit his Coprorate backers have bought him over the years.
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
My personal "old age" belief is, that if Obama doesn't select HILLARY as his running VP choice, McCain will be our next demented president. ___ Scary huh, _____ either way.
~KEM P~
Why would anyone who is struggling with their bills, losing their homes and jobs even think of voting for this piece of pooh? Bobble Heads, who watch the TV and believe everything the preacher, and night time anchor have to say. Turn off the TV and LIVE!
"I define rich in other ways besides income," . . .of course you do John.
If McCain is all you say he is, old, doddering, stupid, ignorant, etc....how come he is winning? I'd suggest we start paying attention to the guy and look at what is happening or you are going to be saying, good morning President McCain.
You don't last 5 years as a POW under the NVA if you are a coward, weak minded or stupid. Forget the talking points and watch out for this guy.
McCain has early-stage Alzheimer's. This is not the first time that Americans have been enamored with an Alzheimer's candidate (remember Ronnie Raygun?).
And unless he is going to give me one of his houses I couldn't care less how many he has or doesn't have.
anyone else sick and tired of corporate media's rich, out of touch, candidates? what will it take to wake up our drugged tee-veed voters to the fact that we need more political parties with candidates like nader, mckinney, gonzalez, etc. just say no to the republicrats/demicans....
To paraphrase Chris Rock: Obama is rich, McCain is wealthy.
Perhaps McCain has had his "scanner" moment (think back to GHW Bush campaign in '92) :). The comedians and late night night hosts will have a field day with this one!
Does he know how many children he has?
Compare this to the home of the Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh:
http://tinyurl.com/67a4ul
pity the slaves of the $$$, pity the slaves of £££, pity the slaves of power, pity the slaves of fear, pity the slaves of ego
I am so blessed to be a Palestinian, and so blessed to have a Prime Minister who lives amongst his people:
".... Haniyeh moves without escort, and mixes freely with people on the streets. He has turned down the offer of 4,000 dollars a month as salary, and accepts only 1,500 dollars, which is what he needs, he says, for his family that includes 13 children. And he still lives in his old house in Shati Camp, one of the poorest refugee camps in the east of Gaza City."
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42079
salam,
I Kare:
I am respecting them I am retired myself and at times wonder what day it is as every day is Saturday. Well not Saturday as I don't go shopping on the weekends to many people.
Klever:
It is working but I know what you are talking about. I had to try 3 times to get it to work. Now I like the new format and have more control over how many postings are shown, I like it.
I'm infinitely wealthy myself, because the Earth is my home. Actually I rent an apartment. But I do have a car to live in. Doesn't that count as a home?
I have a theory of psychological transference. Carol McCain, the ex, got her start as a swimsuit model. Cindy McCain, the heiress, was almost 18 years younger than John, she was 25 and he was 43 on the wedding day. So what would be a more logical couple to McCain and company than Barack Obama, Senator and presidential candidate, dating and marrying some swimsuit model and heiress 20 years younger than the Senator? Wouldn't they be just perfect together? Doesn't every United States Senator not from Idaho do this type of thing? Paris Hilton even has an energy plan.
klever This is a test of new format. Is it working?
klever This is just a test to see if the new format and passwords are working.
I own two homes , both are now in forclosure.
John MCCain knows how many homes he and Cindy owns. I think he was too embarrassed to say. He married Cindy because she was rich and her daddy had pull. The sad part is John has no clue how the other half lives and thinks the economy is strong. He bragged about his economic advisor Phil Grahmm, (the one that helped bring this housing disaster upon us and the one that put in the Enron loopholes),he said that we are a nation of whiners. All of you who think McCain is so experienced better look at his judgement. God help us if he is elected. More war and econimic depression.
Obama is a very wealthy person, by my standards - although not by the standards of people like Cindy McCain, or John, whose initial statement that you need $5M to be considered "rich" is likely quite true for him and the crowd he runs with, notwithstanding his "retraction". By the $5M measure, Obama is barely "rich" according to McCain.
And, Obama earned his millions by writing two back-to-back best-selling books in recent years. That's where he got his money. He only recently finished paying off his student loans.
Not that i trust Obama, but the spin on this from the McCain handlers is utterly ridiculous. And, there are millions of people ready to believe it.
We have the opportunity to choose between a wealthy plutocrat and a wealthy plutocrat to stick into our oilygarchy.
Any questions?
We have got to get better informed. This isn't a choice. Stop believing it is.
McCain unsure how many countries he plans to bomb.
McCain unsure of the color of the White House.
McCain unsure who McCain is.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12700.html
The presumptive Republican nominee, though, may have some wiggle room in explaining why he couldn't immediately provide an answer when asked by Politico how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own. Sen. McCain himself does not own any of the properties. They're all owned by Cindy McCain, her dependent children and the trusts and companies they control.
'... efforts by McCain's Democratic rival, Barack Obama, to exploit the issue, given that Obama benefited from a 2005 land deal with the wife of convicted Chicago businessman — and former Obama fundraiser — Tony Rezko that expanded the Obama family's newly purchased $1.65 million homestead.
"The reality is that Barack Obama purchased his million-dollar mansion in a shady deal involving a convicted felon, and it raises questions about his ethics and judgment,"
So in the end when all the dust has settled and the truth is out, sen. McSame owns NO homes, Sen McSame's wife, children and trust funds own 8 (in a pre nup agreement Sen McSame has nothing to do with his wife's trust funds) and Sen Obama owns a $1.65 MILLION dollar home he got through a sweetheart deal with the help of a convicted swindler and slumlord who also happens to be one of Obamas fundraiser.
This is a far cry from what Obama is saying in his speeches and the news media is portraying and you people just gobble this garbage up without question.
The truth is they're both out of touch with what it takes to live in Bush's Amerika. Moreover, they're both conniving con artists who have lined their pockets with corporate dollars.
John McAlzhiemers
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
Maybe Cindy doesn't allow him into all her houses.
well, you have to cut her some slack, because he lost his temper in front of journalists
and called her a cunt and may have been ready to back it up with a swing against her ever so dainty hands. what woman would want his likes running the country?
for peace and sustainability
Hey annomonous, I'm the same age as McCain and I know it's Monday. Respect your elders sonny.
Here's the difference guys:
The Obama campaign brings up unpleasant FACTS about McCain and his policies, voting record, etc.
The McCain campaign spreads LIES about Obama's personal life, his wife, his voting record and his policies.
Rogers, a scum-sucking pig, states, "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."
No, it is NOT Reality, it is a complete and utter LIE. Calling it reality does not make it so, but a huge number of ignorant Americans are going to believe it. They want to believe it.
Regardless of what you think about Obama (and I am personally hugely disappointed in him) the morality of the two campaigns is stark in contrast. This is significant. If you think this does not reflect on how the two would govern, how they would define and approach international relationships and how they would deal with the voters domestically, you need to consider it.
Oh c'mon now, this is more than a bit partisan after all. Does one support a candidate despite his flaws and foibles or does one simply ignore anything that diminishes his choice? The simple fact of this matter is that McCain's family owns eight homes, two or three are beach houses. It is truth that Obama's financing of his home has some rather shady attachments connected with its purchase. To deny truth and ignore fact makes for terrible choices.
I support neither candidate in fact, Im an independent who will vote for Ralph Nader, and for the third time as his every speech, his every position paper resoundingly supports the progressive agenda. The facts are that there are no poor folks in our government, not at the national level to be sure, and they leave office rather more wealthy than they entered in far too many cases. Denying the truth of our sick system does nothing whatsoever to remedy it....
we see things, not as they are, but as we are.
Anais Nin
"Hi, My name is John McCain, and I ....errr....ummm...harump...err .I want my pudding and a nap now? Mommy?..."
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
Maybe Neocons need servants to count their assets.
At his age McCain probably has trouble remembering what day of the week it is. Buy his very answer it shows just one thing, he isn't WH material
McCain's seven homes demonstrates why tax reform is required. The arrogance of the rich is becoming intolerable and they are harming Americans as evidenced by their voting records. If they are not going to vote such that people can live then their wealth needs to be reduced and redistributed. It's time.
It's not surprising that he doesn't know how many houses he owns. Only members of the plutocracy can afford to run for high political office. They amass their vast fortunes by selling out their constituents to the corporations, as is the case with Sen. Obama.
Maybe you could give one example of Obama selling out his constituents to a corporation. Sounds like more of the same baseless Obama bashing.
I seem to recall that Obama made most of his money selling books---not selling out.
Then you haven't been paying attention to the millions in campaign contributions (legalized bribes) that he has received. Do you really think that he hasn't sold out to the corporations to get that money? Why do you think he has flip-flopped on his positions from ending the war to trampling the Constitution? How about his cozy financing arrangement with convicted felon Tony Rezco to buy a posh $1.6 million mansion in Chicago?
He gets most of his money from 2 million online donators (true grassroots) who give less than $200 each. Do the math...
There's no evidence for your claim of him selling out to a single corporation. opensecrets website lists donations by corporations, but that is somewhat deceptive in that the donations come from individuals who work for the corp., not the corp. itself.
I agree he blundered on the FISA vote, but his position on the war has not changed---this is more of your disinformation. And the Rezco issue has been extensively examined and no evidence of any wrongdoing has been found. It is however a favorite topic for Rush to spew over and the fact that you mention it at all shows me that you are likely a tool of the right...
By the way, I checked Open Secrets. Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, UBS, Jones Day--well, you get the picture--are among those who gave him six-figure contributions. But, of course, they gave him that money with no strings, right? Technically, the corporations are prohibited by law from giving the money themselves, so they get it from employees and their families. But the corporations wouldn't pressure these people, would they?
You're personal attack about my political afilliation is incorrect. In fact I'm a progressive who has had it with dissembling Democrats who try to be more Republican than the Republicans. If you haven't seen Obama's veer to the right since he became the presumptive nominee, you're not paying attention. As far as the Rezco affair goes, it's a matter of public record. Look it up in the Cooke County, Illinois records. Not only did he blunder on FISA, he also blundered on habeas corpus (Military Commissions Act). And, you're wrong about his position on the war. He as consistently moved toward Bush and McCain on his view on Iraq and Afghanistan. Before he became the Democratic presumptive nominee he had a plan to get the US out within 16 months. Now he back peddles, saying that his 16 month plan would only take effect if the generals told him it was appropriate. That sounds like "W" Bush to me. As far as his contributors, you need to check your facts. How many people out here in the real world can afford to send their candidate $200? Maybe they can send $20. Here's the math: The grassroots supporters might account for about $40 million. He spends that much each month!! Where is the rest of the money coming from?
Your saying you're a progressive doesn't make you one. What have you ever done that's so progressive? All I hear from you is republican talking points. Add up the 6 figure (bundled) corporate donations from opensecrets. It comes to maybe 6 million total. The rest 390+ million is from individual donations. No PAC money or money from federal lobbyist. And can't you realize that there are plenty of people in this country who CAN give at least $200 dollars to someone they think will make a positive change for us and the world. This is a very rich country.
And what, in the public record of the Rezco case, is there that involves Obama exactly? Have you seen the public record? Sounds like another Rush talking point.
George Stephanopoulos said, “One more time, Senator, you need to divulge all there is to know about
[your relationship with Tony Rezko.] Take that opportunity here.” Obama said, “Well, George, this is a
story that has been out there for a year, and has been thoroughly gnawed on by the press, both in Chicago
and nationally. Tony Rezko was a friend of mine, a supporter, who I’ve known for 20 years. He was a
contributor not just myself but Democrats, as well as some Republicans, throughout Illinois. Everybody
perceived him as a businessman and developer. He got into trouble that was completely unrelated to me.
And nobody has suggested that I have been involved in any of those problems. I did make a mistake by
purchasing a small strip of property from him, at a time where, at that point, he was under the cloud of a
potential investigation. And I’ve acknowledged that that was a mistake. But again, nobody has suggested
any wrongdoing. And you know, I think, at this point, it’s important for people to recognize that I have
actually provided all the information that’s out there about it.” [This Week, 1/27/08]
My first thought is "Wow, that must be nice to have so many houses that you can't even keep track of them." But then my second thought tells me that if he owns at least 4, Why? He can't stay in them all the time and I bet you money that at some people he has complained about "the homeless problem". Perhaps if he owned less condos then maybe there would be less homeless.
Not that they could afford condos in california... But, I think we need to recognise that greed is a bigger problem than anything else.
And some people want him as President?
Frankly, it disgusts me that anyone who isn't ultra-rich would even momentarily CONSIDER voting for a man like this.
Which one?
I'm an Arizonan, and my family has been for over 130 years. We dug the canals, by hand.
McCain, on the other hand, is a mere carpet bagger (to say nothing of our other senator) who owns more than he can count.
Brian Rogers whining queries are just that, asking that the reader search around in their mind for some foundation in fact for the question. Why? Because, as set out in the article, there is no basis for any comparison which concludes that Obama is an elitist, etc, and McCain is not. He's the son of an admiral who was the son of an admiral, was inept as a flyboy and shouldn't be allowed at the wheel of the ship of state. He can't even tell that he's an elitist with every advantage throughout his life. He thinks he's like everyone else, the economy has caused him no discomfort whatsoever, so it must be the same for everyone else.