McCain Doesn't Remember How Many Houses He Owns

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.

John and Cindy McCain own a plethora of houses spread throughout the United States, including: two beachfront condos in Coronado, California, condo in La Jolla, California, a two-unit condominium complex in Phoenix, Arizona, three ranch houses located outside of Sedona, Arizona, a high-rise condo in Arlington, Virginia, a rental loft, and, according to GQ, a loft they bought for their daughter, Meghan.

As Politico notes, McCain's comments are a serious potential gaffe, as they dovetail with an increasingly aggressive effort to paint the GOP nominee as wildly out of touch on economic issues.

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."

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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.

UPDATE: The Obama campaign is letting out all the stops in its response, with immediate comments from Obama on the stump in Virginia, an new ad (see below), and actions by its top surrogates hammering McCain around the country.

UPDATE: Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine piles on:

Obama V.P. prospect and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine mocked Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on Thursday for not knowing exactly how many houses he owns.

"I understand that Sen. McCain was asked yesterday this question, 'how many houses do you own?,' and he couldn't answer that question. He couldn't count high enough, apparently, to even know how many houses he owns," said Kaine.

Here's the video, titled McCain's Mansions, released last week by Brave New Films and SEIU:

Comments

[pollyrobin]

I think most are missing the point and following prey to the Republican spin on this story.
It is not that he is rich, it is that "he does not remember". He is showing signs of
dementia. He has had several interviews in which he neither remembers what the question is
or is getting basic facts wrong. There are many Youtube videos where you can just watch
it and see. It is one thing that the public did not know when Ronald Reagan began
to show times of Alzheimer Disease or dementia in the 1980's but now, with Youtube
everywhere, that our media is not covering this story is no joke. I do not care if he was
a democrat, a republican, or a clown, the American People have a right to know whether
or not McCain suffers from dementia - mild or moderate. This takes precedent
over ageism, political lines, ect. It is for the national security of our nation. I do not think
his "war hero" days has anything to do with what needs to be asked now. He is displaying signs of dementia and the American People have the right to know. Period.

[afed27]

What is the big deal, here? So McCain has so many houses, he lost count, so what?
This has no bearing on McCain's ability to be concerned over the middle-class, the poor, or the wealthy. Remember FDR, he of the aristocrats? With all his wealth, there was none who had more concern for the people of our nation and who worked to better the lives of us all.

[greenrotgut]

Let's ask Obama how many joints he smoked and how many lines of coke he snorted. I'd like to see how good his memory is.

[mabinog]

hypocrisy not bad memory

[kroses98]

Alzheimer's really, as well as hypocrisy. Worse than Reagan, at this stage of the game!!!

[champion75]

I think you should ask the above question to George Bush first.

[Republican89]

It is just like a liberal to bash a man who invested his money into houses. God forbid a conservative man or women actually do well, ooops, I mentioned God...according to the liberals we are not suppose to do that either. The problem is that Liberals like investing, just in a system of government that does not make a profit or work. I live in Illinois and where there are a great number of Liberals and they have done more to F.U. the Chicago Public School system then any other group of people.

[mabinog]

It is not surprising that you miss the point. In fact you may know exactly what the point is but can't bring yourself to admit it to yourself.

It is about hypocrisy. He did not invest anything. His wife owns the houses.

The rub being when Kerry was running for office the right could not help but call him a kept man and a wuss. The shoe is now on the other foot and republicans like you get a puzzled look on your face?

I don't buy it. Take your self righteous indignation and go propagandize elsewhere.

If you are going whine about how Mc=-=Cain is being treated you better come up with some kind reasonable explanation about why Kerry's situation was different or denounce the right's behavior then. Otherwise you are a hypocrite too.

[confuciussay]

Let's make sure McCain doesn't add the White House to his long list of houses.

[1conservative]

Oh I can see the headline now! Hahahahah

[kroses98]

He might not be able to find his way home!

[ivangoldstein]

This is the perfect opening for Obama to start hammering the populist economic message. The Republicans are Plutocrats who only get votes that they openly court from the racist and religious, mostly in the South.

But the fact is it would be perfectly fine if Obama or Biden were rich (though both have experienced being middle class) because their POLICIES help the middle class and working class while the Republican economic MAIN IDEA is to have the middle class take on more and more of the burden while the extremeley wealthy 2+ million and up get the bulk of the money.

I am very disappointed that Obama did not respond to the first celebrity ad showing Paris Hilton and Britney Spears with an ad showing Mccain's proposed tax cuts for:

Paris Hilton: hotel heiress
Britney Spears: pop star
John and Cindy Mccain: beer heiress and husband

Then cut to Obama showing middle class teacher, policeman, and firefigher and Obama's superior tax cut for them.

[takeamericanback08]

Here's another house of cards
"The Senator," Dobson said, "is being touted by the media as a man of principle, yet he was involved with other women while married to his first wife, and was implicated in the so-called Keating scandal with four other senators. He was eventually reprimanded by the Congress for the 'appearance of impropriety.' The Senator reportedly has a violent temper and can be extremely confrontational and profane when angry. These red flags about Senator McCain's character are reminiscent of the man who now occupies the White House."

[atlantajoe]

Another case of repubs being held to a higher standard. This question was not asked of John Kerry because it is a non issue. If it was a real issue then Kerry would have been asked and his answer most likely would have been answered the same way, he would have to check on it. Did it matter to any dem that Kerry owned 5 or 6 houses valued at 50 mill?

It's just like Jessie Jackson using the N word, he's a dem so it's okay, we won't hold him to the same standard as a Republican.

[olephart]

Republicans have standards?

[Heru1]

Repubes treat people like the N word.

[mabinog]

They did not ask about how many houses, but the right did come down on Kerry for having an heiress wife and being a kept man and wuss. Same thing with Mc--Cain just a double standard because now that the Ferragamo shoe is on the other foot, you don't like it. Grow up or s.t..f.u. The right laid down the standard and now won't abide it. Hypocrites.

[StrayTalk]

"Recession. What recession? Foreclosure? My friends, if that's an issue these folks can always move into one of their OTHER homes." As my good friend Senator Gramm says..."Bunch of whiners"

[1conservative]

By definition, we are not in a recession yet. Regarding foreclosures, most of the people going through this should not have had to the loan to begin with. Interest only loans should have only been given to the most qualified individuals. These loans were a gamble because they were based on the variable that housing prices would continue to escalate. If you know anything about the housing market, it was inevitable that they would eventually fall. As for folks moving into their other homes, how many homes do you think the Kerry/Heinz's own? Please, get real.

[Heru1]

May several homes in your neighborhood be foreclosed upon so that yours is devalued as much as possible.

[CubanPete]

I broke my rib when your messiah started introducing his Vice -P as "the next Pres...". I guess I have to make the tough decision to vote for the guy who is absent minded due to nature (old age) or the one who has obvious brain damage due to cocaine use. Hmmm...who should I trust with the Red Button? If the cocaine guy thought there was 57 states and with this Georgia/Russia thing going on...do you think he may just hit that button to stop them commies from reaching Savannah? That's it... it's the OLD guy for ME!!!

[Heru1]

You broke your cranium. mKKKain is so old he can't even remember his address. you would vote for an animal if it had white skin.

[drinkmorekoolaid]

Wow! ...mKKKain...? Wow, do you attend Jeremiah Wright sermons as well? It's nice to see you not spreading the hate that he does and Obama was a part of for 20 years. Of course, Barack doesn't believe those hateful words, although he was obviously paying close attention to them, he used a line from one sermon for the title of one of his booksand only left the church after the videos of hate-monger wright blew up all over the place... so you know I'm not defending mccain just make sure you are FULLY aware of those people you are defending...

[shuppy]

The deceit of the Democrats to claim that someone does not remember the houses he or she owns is so obvious when you look at the tape. McCain did not answer: just referred him to his staff.

To claim a lapse of memory is to claim something did not happen. Where has honesty gone, when did spin become part of our political weapons.

We need honesty and integrity back in politics and McCain, whether you like him or not, has always been candid.

[neoconsareliars]

McCain has GOP memory, amnesia when he doesn't want to answer and lying answers when he wants to screw the public. Wise up shup, he's a republican.

[Heavenhelpusall]

McCandid is anything but. He may have been confused, unsure, forgetful, overmedicated or just uninformed. I suppose he was candid at the religious forum too when he claimed he would listen to John Lewis? He's showing America how deceitful, dishonorable, and dubya-like he really is.

[Boringat]

He needs a Swift Boot from T-Nose Pickings to jog his memory.

[kroses98]

Even that won't work with Alzheimer's!!! It's progressive degeneration of the brain cells!!!

[mijoda]

My friend,
It is a big deal, and if he picks Romney, it will be an even bigger deal.
John and Mitt have not "been there" and they cannot empathize with the economic situation of the average citizen, unlike Barack and Joe.

[kroses98]

You mean "Mutt" and "Jeff?"

[drinkmorekoolaid]

Ulike Barack and Joe who? do you know how much Barack paid for his house? If you think those two are able to empathize with the average citizen's economic situation better than the other two, you are a fool. I wish my collar was as blue as any one of theirs, Barack, Joe, John, or Sarah...

[drinkmorekoolaid]

Unlike Barack and Joe who? If you believe any one of the candidates really empathize with the economic situation of the average citizen then you my friend are a fool and I feel for you.

If Joe Biden is blue collar I want to know where he buys his shirts because I want to be his blue collar buddy.

Obama lives in a ~ 1.6 million dollar house, yeah he is really right on par with me and my current situation. The only one who is anywhere near where the average citizen is would be Sarah Palin. McCain is not claiming to be the average Joe.

I don't care how much any of them make, how many houses they have, or what their net worth is, just don't tell me you know what it's like to be an average Joe.

The two party system is crap and the founding fathers never wanted it to be this way. These clowns, ALL OF THEM!!!!, Dems & Repubs, need to have term limits and stop taking money from special interest groups, so they will stop worring about getting reelected and do their freakin' job.

[TrustMeImASalesman]

Let's back track for a second and look at the similarity of existing facts:

Senator John McCain is Married to a very wealthy woman. They own many properties, was a War Veteran of the Vietnam conflict. Drives big SUV's and mis-represents "perspectives of ownership". Possibly not very moral since he divorced his first wife. Not in touch with the average voter.

Senator John Kerry: is Married to a very wealthy woman. They own many properties, was a War Veteran of the Vietnam conflict. Drives big SUV's and misrepresents "prespectives of ownership". Possibly not very moral since he lied about owning SUV's and even being in certain areas of war conflicts! Not in touch with the average voter.

Both BAD? Both Good? oh,,,, I see....Democrat Good. Republican Bad. Democrat always good no matter what....Republican Bad....no matter what..

Wealthy people are not in touch with the average voter. We have the Best Government Money can buy!!!

Fight poverty and lack of multiple home ownership....Hire someone and pay them very well!!!

[1conservative]

Right On!

[ccphus]

I guess you had your turn. it is dems turn now. so what you are saying is it is bad when Kerry did it and it is ok when McCain does it. Besides, if you search for Kerry and gigolo you will see a lot of lnks from Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh. I am sure you must have gotten you share of laughs then. it is our turn. What goes around comes around.. so get off from that pedestal..

[diamondc]

I will vote for Obama.

In the past, I respected John MacCain, and might have voted for him before I learned more about him. For one thing, I am tired of hearing the same story about the POW experience, which is a deceptive story to anyone who has heard about the American Fighting Man's Code of Conduct.

The old fighting man's code of conduct http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/au-24/ruhl.pdf which was drilled into the heads of cadets at the military academies which John McCain and other officers graduated from, requires that a captured soldier turn down an offer of parole from a prison camp.

There is another code which is also drilled into the heads of cadets at the military academies - the honor code. I would imagine that it was put in place to insure that we have officers serving this country who are people with integrity. It prohibits telling lies among other things. I'm sick of hearing John McCain pretend that he did something other than follow standing orders when he refused parole in that prison camp. This is a small point compared to the other issues in this election, but the fact that he has lived by this lie for so long speaks to me about his integrity. It is also a disservice to the hundreds of others who have suffered as P O W's.

On the other hand, they tried to impeach Bill Clinton for far less relevant lie...

[The Keeper]

There's been no progress on the impeachment resolutions for our Current Occupant. It seems that a wayward trouser-snake is more important than killing four thousand, one hundred and forty--six American soldiers for no good reason.