Senator Complain: "But They're My Wife's Houses!"

Holy Majoly! Is this an SNL skit?

A McCain spokesman, on the whole issue of John McCain owning seven or eight houses, shoots back to Marc Ambinder, "Obama's charges "attack Cindy. She owns the homes. I thought he said the wives were off-limits.""

Paging Tommy Flanagan! "Yeah... that's the ticket! My WIFE'S houses!"

This, I guess, is better than the response earlier in the day, that John McCain isn't insanely rich with seven or eight homes, because he was a POW.

But not by much.

The real problem is that, once again, Senator McCain has become Senator Complain - whining that it's just not fair to question him. It's an act that wears really, really thin, really, really quickly. Americans who are afraid that they may have a house foreclosed on don't have much sympathy for someone whining that questioning them about their seven or eight homes is just mean. Having your family tossed out on the street by a lender is mean. Answering questions from reporters is pattycakes.

Comments

[SethBLiNK]

This is America. People are allowed to own as many houses as they can afford (or recently, even if they can't afford them). It doesn't matter if his wife bought them, if he married a rich woman or if his years in a POW camp entitle him to a life of comfort.

But, by criticizing Obama for being elitist, just because he's educated and enjoys the better things in life, McCain lowered the discourse to this level. After 8 years of a President who took pride in his ignorance and tried to act like he was just plain folks, can we get past the BS and focus on things that matter.

[Freesia2]

John Kerry was skewered in 2004 for having a wealthy wife. They made it sound like he was Richard Gere in "American Gigolo". I'd forgotten how the GOP taunted with that, until being reminded of it today.

Quid pro quo. Tit for tat. Pot - kettle. If the Democrats wanted to make it sound like he's Cindy's boy toy (oooh that's an image I can live without. Scratch that one I'm having my lunch) it would technically be totally fair.

Obama will limit it to "he doesn't remember things/he's wallowing in excess in these had times" - and call it a day. And I'm glad. Obama has class and I'd like him to keep it that way. Besides, McCain doesn't need any help in painting himself badly on this topic. He's doing an amazing job with that paint brush - straight into corners.

[jangrehus]

The question was how many houses do "you AND MRS. McCAIN" (emphasis mine) own. He could have clarified it at the time such as I have one or none or whatever but my wife has such-and-such. But either he tried to duck the question or just flat out didn't know. Both scare the crap out of me. Ah hell, maybe he doesn't own anything.

Are you sure you want a president who is either that evasive or out of it?

[Shellly]

This says about a lot about what type of man john mccain is and what type of president he would be. how can the american people trust him to remember them, when he can't even remember what goes on in his own householdS!!??

[manicallday]

I have no sympathy for the extremely wealthy or for those losing their home to foreclosure. I just want people to be responsible again. if you lost your home to foreclosure don't look to my tax dollars to bail you out. And if you can't remember how many homes you have in storage then you are too irresponsible to be president. That simple.

[jozap]

Obama needs to run an ad that shows McCain making statements:

"I don't know that much about the economy."
any other "I don't know" statements McCain has made.
"I don't know how many houses I own."
"I don't own any of the houses, they are all my wifes houses."

Then Obama saying

"I do understand our economy isn't working for the majority of Americans."
"I know I only own one house."
"Michelle and I, together, own the house and pay taxes on the house."
"Michelle and I both worked and earned the money to buy our house, pay off our student loans and put our girls in good schools."

[oddsnends]

McSane has a habit of blaming the wife & playing the POW card. He lived 5 & a half years as a POW we all know & respect that. What I want to know is how has he lived for the other 66 & a half years.

[mesut]

I kept help to think that this would all be a non-issue if he'd simply answered the question. Hasn't he learned by now that his non-answers are the ones that make news and leave him looking "forgetful". He believes he's earned the right not to answer questions about himself. I hate to tell Sen McCain that not everyone knows who he is. Apparently, he doesn't know who he is either.

[Susan60]

Glenn Greenwald over at Salon points out that in 2004, right wing loons suggested that John Kerry was a gigolo, a kept man, who married into money and therefore could never understand what normal Americans were going through.
My take on that is that if John McCain truly doesn't have a clue about his properties, if Cindy handles all that, then it's obvious she doesn't trust him with her fortune. If she doesn't trust him with her money, why should we trust him with ours?
McCain is a gigolo and kept man, too. But of course, you'll never hear the crazies on the right spewing their filth about McCain like they did about Kerry in 2004.

[obamagirl1968]

This precisely highlights the fact that he MARRIED money and did not EARN it! Yes, Obama is now worth a few million bucks but its because he earned it as a published author. McCain cheated on his first wife to hook up with a rich heiress....

[GoCards1978]

Of course McCain fip-flopped on the Bush tax cuts - Cindy wouldn't stand for less. Anyone who votes for this man who isn't in the top 1% income bracket is a fool.

[markbaker]

they are setting up the bait so they can attack michelle. they're attaching cindy to the attack so it appears like an attack on cindy, so they can claim it's fair to attack michelle spew 'proud of my country for the first time' attacks. won't work.

[PhDiva]

Yes, mark. You nailed it. That's exactly what's happening. "You attacked Cindy for being rich. Now we can attack Michelle for being black!" They'll go after her patriotism, but Obama WILL NOT go after Cindy's addiction so ultimately this could hurt Obama.

[amst]

Yea, and yesterday,I believe it was Charlie Watts who's comeback to this major "Gaffe" was "I thought the wives were off limits?" and he continued on on low it as to bring the wives into it. ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. That ain't gonna fly. I smell desperation

[gopindrag]

"HEY YOU PUNKS, GET OUT OF MY HOUSES!"

[PhDiva]

Punks sounds too young. I prefer "whippersnappers!"

[jingles32]

The Re pubs have their talking point obviously as Joe Wa t son, on one of the c able shows last night made that same claim, "He's attack his wife! I thought wives were off limits!" Sad.

[Shellly]

I did see Joe Watson making this claim and dan abrams rightfully ignored him!