McCain Critics Continue To Attack His Wealth

The drawback of John McCain's attack on Barack Obama's "elitism": it makes his own wealth fair game.

For the second time in as many days, critics of the Arizona Republican are using his riches against him. Brave New Films, headed by documentarian Robert Greenwald, released a short on Friday morning called "McCain's Mansions: The Real Elitist."

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The film, while a bit long in length for traditional political fare, is absolutely brutal. Interspersed with testimony from a woman who suffered through foreclosure, the film highlights both the $36.5 million to (potentially) $100 million in assets McCain shares with his wife and the several plush, multi-million-dollar houses his family owns.

The video comes a day after the AFL-CIO similarly used McCain's wealth as fodder for a political attack. The union distributed fliers on Thursday pointing out, among other things, the 10 houses and $520 Italian loafers the Senator owns.

Comments

[RButler]

Rezko helped McCain buy all his houses. Small world, isn't it?

[Joliepoint]

McCain has money. So did Kennedy. So did Roosevelt. So what?

[chronic]

I think all this went way over your head.

[akkadian]

This is the ad that Obama should be running nationwide
Let people see how straight the straight talk express really is...

[grasshopper84663]

I think most people would wonder why she had a 15% mortgage. Either she was irresponsible and didn't pay her bills, making her interest rate go up or she had crappy credit to begin with. Either way just because you live in the United States doesn't entitle you to a home. If she can't afford to own a home she can rent somewhere less expensive. McCain having several homes doesn't make me feel sorry for this lady.

[cnick]

Actually, most people wouldn't wonder that, grasshopper, they know it is because of the crazy adjustable mortgages, where are the inexpensive rentals???

[normathumb]

McCain meant to say Obama is more "hip" then he. Obama is the Denzel Washington to McCain's Walter Brennan. Gosh dern it!

[Muskered]

I don't get it. Other than having $1oo.ooo.ooo, me and McCain are damn near twins . . . albeit fraternal twins.

[FdeBear]

Hey. It's time for the Inquisition, folks. See y'all later.

[rockyersocksoff]

It's NOT immense wealth that makes one an elitist.

It's that stupid "caring about others who AREN'T wealthy" thing.

If you're a selfing rich prick, you're just being a good ol' American.

[rockyersocksoff]

That would be "selfish" rich prick.

[ex-pat]

What no one seems to point out especially in his case, her money has certainly not bought him any class or refinement. Can you just imagine sitting next to him at a dinner party?

[THEhillbilly]

Let's all look back four years and see what these people were saying about Heinz's kept man Kerry. (snicker)

[shockmagog]

Sorry, but Republicans only know what they're told by right wing talk show hosts. And THEY only know what's in their Republican talking points.

[wdw101]

.......please let the powers that be know.......i have not been getting my talking points.....

[FdeBear]

Because it's irrelevant.

[cariintexas]

You usually laugh at your attempt at humor. You are like mc cain aren't you.

[ReelBusy]

More McCain hypocrisy.
I've heard it before:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4-PqAXRIRU

Let's have some fun now:
The McCain-Nixon-Bush Tango
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyvJVy_7LYU

[boogygran]

Both excellent. While still being angry about "tricky dicky" and what his administration is remembered for, I feel sorry for his family having to deal with their extra measure of anguish and mixed emotions over the years. So sad that the abuse of power harms so many and the resulting pain never goes away....

[NotMcCain]

That is a very pointed and well done film. I am surprised that so many of his luxury homes are here in California. (Isn't that elitist, too--having luxury homes in so many OTHER states, when you're a senator from AZ?)

One negative comment. The woman is very credible, articulate, and you can really feel the pain of what she has experienced and expresses in a very calm way. But I wish she wasn't quite so much larger than the average American (yes, two-thirds of Americans are overweight, but this woman is still larger than most).

I think her size detracts/distracts from the "average American like you" message and opens the door for criticizing or mocking HER.

Especially in the beginning when she says, "We had to choose between paying our mortgage or putting food on the table." That line seems almost funny when said by a very overweight person (when, of course, it isn't funny at all.)

The list of McCain's houses--Cindy's comment about private jets--are very good, but I think you don't want a commercial where you want to look and live like the bad guys.

[uclafan]

If she were small and cute, I would have thought she was an actress.

[poorwriter]

What the heck does her physical size have to do with her housing situation?
"I think her size detracts/distracts from the "average American like you" message and opens the door for criticizing or mocking HER.
Especially in the beginning when she says, "We had to choose between paying our mortgage or putting food on the table." That line seems almost funny when said by a very overweight person (when, of course, it isn't funny at all.)"
Your words say more about you than they say about her.

[boogygran]

Actually, I saw no humor in the entire piece, and I'm sorry that you saw anything "almost funny." Regardless of the circumstances - whether the lady speaking was for real or an actress, situations like this have been happening far too often throughout the country - and the government's callous indifference, until it was too late for too many, added to the misery. And McBush did not begin to demonstrate any concern until his campaign realized his indifference would probably have a negative affect on his vote tally.

[Sparty1]

WTF?

[FdeBear]

I just cannot believe you focused on this woman's body! You're the one hiding behind your own sexism and classicism by attributing it to somebody else or claiming expertise as a media critic. The average woman in this country is 5'6'' and wears a size 14. Look on the street or the mall and tell us what the average "American" woman looks like - Cindy McCain??? What do you mean it "opens the door for criticizing or mocking HER" That's what's already happened. This is a tragedy. I hope your property values don't dip because most likely, its happening to somebody down the street from you. I feel you haven't a clue about her situation - I DO and the Obamas do. There is nothing funny about it at all.

[poco767b]

Being rich does not mean he is an elitist.
What makes him an elitist is that he believes he is in some way better than others, immune from criticism and fault.

[NotMcCain]

Less than .1% of Americans have the wealth McCain does, and he's been living like this for almost a quarter of a century.

He has NO financial worries (and never will), surrounds himself with corporate lobbyists as policy advisors (oh, and Wikipedia), and has no idea what life is like for the rest of us who worry about job loss, housing costs, paying for education, health care, and retirement.

That cocoon of wealth and privilege McSame lives in with his trophy wife puts him completely out of touch with the rest of us.

VERY elitist in lifestyle--but, yes, in attitude, too.

[wdw101]

good for him

[Fenianheart]

Why is it that when an ad tells the truth about mccain it's called "brutal"? I guess that shows how honesty fares in America.
There is a big difference between exxon john and Kerry. It's Phil Graham.
As for the length of the ad~has our ADD gotten so bad that we consider this too long?

[ramblingjohnny]

Gold Digging John that should be his nickname. And you should remind anybody who would listen what he did to his first wife!

[SEQUOIABISON]

Why is McCain getting away with calling Obama an elitist when he is surrounded by such an abundance of luxurious homes and obscene wealth?

[MajorKong]

Because whichever Democrat happens to be running for President during any given election is automatically branded as an elitist. It's how they play the game.

[THEhillbilly]

Wow, what a clever question. Obama can't be an elitist because McCain lives in luxury. Great thinking.

Anyway, the reason he or anyone else can get away with referring to grandiloquent, done-nothing rookie Obama as an elitist is Obama's idiolatry, a thing which is obvious to normal people and studiously ignored by Obama groupies.
.