Leno Asks McCain How Many Houses He Has, McCain Answers With POW Status (VIDEO)

While Ted Kennedy, Michelle Obama and the Obama's daughters were wowing Denver at the DNC, John McCain was sitting down with Jay Leno and bringing up his years as a POW at unexpected moments.

Making light of McCain's inability to put a number on his real estate holdings last week, Leno joked with the Republican nominee that, "for one million dollars, how many houses do you have?"

Rather than reply with either a real answer or a similarly light-hearted joke, McCain brought up his POW status.

"Could I just mention to you Jay, that in a moment of seriousness, I spent five and a half years in a prison cell, I didn't have a house, I didn't have a kitchen table, I didn't have a table, I didn't have a chair..."

Watch:

Comments

[obtusegoose]

That was sickening. To bring up his POW story (yet again!) when asked about his homes is beyond tacky. Is that going to be his default answer for every question? It's clear that McCain doesn't want people to know that he and his wife are extremely wealthy. He wants to come across as an "everyman" that you can have a beer with.

[larry91403]

The Main Stream Media seems not to have noticed this - or is conveniently ignoring it.

Sen. McCain appeared to claim that Barry Goldwater's loss was corrected by the assassination of Jack Kennedy in Dallas.

McCain: ...Where I learn is from a town hall meeting. That's where you learn hopes, dreams, aspirations and concerns of Americans who are hurt right now. So if we stood on the stage together, it changes the atmosphere. Many years ago Barry Goldwater and Jack Kennedy had agreed to fly around the country and from one place to another and stand before the American people. I still with Senator Obama would do that.

Leno: ...Look what happened to Barry Goldwater.

McCain: ...As you know the tragedy of Dallas intervened. But I think it would have been great for the American people to see us stand together.

So John McCain does essentially the same thing as Hillary Clinton, and not a peep from the media???

[Bago618]

It's highly probable the mainstream media is a bit more knowledgeable of American history than you are. Since Goldwater didn't lose to JFK, but lost to LBJ a year after JFK was assassinated, McCain could not possibly have meant what you suggest he meant.
What McCain was actually referring to was what JFK and Goldwater were planning to do leading up to the '64 election, but which unfortunately did not happen because of JFK's death.
JFK defeated Nixon, not Goldwater.

[RichardIII]

Is ther no legitmate room or occasion for questioning how McCain and his supporters portray his experience as a POW? I mean, it could not have been pretty, no way. But does it make sense that the son of a 4-star Admiral, commander of all U.S. forces in the Vietnam, would be cruelly tortured up to and including daily as is sometimes described? His bones broken and rebroken by his captors even though we know that the bones he broke upon ejecting were reset by Vietnamese doctors? Then, after being treated so cruelly, being singularly offered an early release form the POW camp? He is constantly making his POW experience and status an issue. I think it is therefore legitimate to question it.

[moonrider 73]

How many died in Vietnam would have traded places with him. How many that came home with missing legs would have traded places with him so they could have went out an chased young women.I wonder who endured the most pain during his captivity, him or his wife and children. If it was that bad why wasn't he on his stump when Georgie wanted to go to Iraq telling the American people why he wouldn't want to send our kids. How much of his wealth has he spent on finding the mia's so other families can have closure. How many of his many homes has he offered to homeless vietnam vets. No Mr. McCain I can't vote for you, though other Pow's would have prompted me to serve if drafted back then, you Sir have prompted me to vote for change. Please don't cheapen your time as a Pow any more, it is far to clear that you have used it for personal gain enough. If you were truly a wise man you would have used your experence to have saved over 4,000 young lives in Iraq and the 1000's who are now disabled and can't go out an chase their Cindy. God help us if this man is elected.

[mono]

"I PERSONALLY BELIEVE" that John McCain is equivalent of Miss South Carolina.

What was that answer ???????

Maaaan, this guy is thinking of becoming president of the most powerful country?

[grf67]

Noun, verb, POW. Those thousands of us who also served in Vietnam are a weary of how bad he is life is. I do agree that his captivity has affected his judgement, what little there is left.

[savory1]

Enough is enough. McCain would have you believe he is the only POW on earth. He is cheapening every other POW's experience. This man is not humble. A simple "we have been blessed with many homes" ,would have been sufficient. Then he highlights his father-in-law's money. Which says'I am a kept man". This is the man Repubs want for Pres.

[IForgotMyName]

Wow I wonder how that line works when he has to deal with Putin: "Please don't invade Georgia. I was a POW."

[JulianJons]

The man wants to win so bad he has gotten so low it is disgusting. So what if you were a pow. There are hundreds if not thousands of pows and vets without a house living under bridges. Having houses or being a pow are two separate things, but he wants to politicize every freaking subject. This man does not deserve to be president.

[wiig]

While John McCain deserves to be honored for his survival in such dire circumstances, it is not fair to use this as a way to dodge a question. It is a cop-out. If this continues, it makes it fair to ask the question as to whether this event has so damaged him that he doesn't know how many houses he has, whether Iran is Shia or Sunni, etc. What will he do if there was a 9/11 on his watch; delve into the trauma and hardship he suffered while a POW?

[MACS]

.
Noun, verb, I'm a pow.
.

[ShanniC]

Criticism of McCain = Criticism of his military experience = spitting on his being a POW = hating America!

[TN]

creep. Since he uses it soo much, I think some investigating and reporting is fair. What is the true story of John McCains experience? We know the cross in the sand was a lie, he says he was stuck in a cell without daylight, then he says he was in the hot sun all day and got skin cancer. Will the real John McCain POW experience and his treatment of POW families please stand up.

[Stunatra]

I got what McCain meant. Am I the only one? How many homes he has is totally irrelevant. The media and everyone else makes a big deal over stupid bullshit like this. Having eight houses doesn't make you any more capable of running a country than does someone who only owns a condo.

Move on and worry about the real issues.

[sierradrinker]

I think moving on and talking about the real issues is an excellent idea. What I'd like to know is, how his time as POW nearly 40 years ago relates to people having houses today? How does being a POW help him understand the economy? How does being a POW make you a leader? What does his time as a POW have to do with his wife's money?

His responses really aren't "noun, verb, POW." They usually start with "For five and half years...." or "when I was a prisoner in Hanoi."

Ok, we get it, you were a prisoner, we know it, move on. Don't worry the Democrats will move on from the houses and his insuation that you're not rich until you have $5 million. McCain needs only to open his mouth to insert his foot.

[TheGodsLoveNubia]

Has McCain ever said how being a POW will help him if he becomes president (and when I say that, I really really hope that day never comes)? Or does it count toward his experience with foreign policy? Because I've only heard him exploit it by using it as an excuse for any criticism.