Burning Down the House!

I'm assuming McCain had no favoritism whatsoever in all those home purchases?  No skeletons in any of those many, many closets?  How many closets does he HAVE anyway?

We you cheat on your disfigured wife that waited for you while you were a POW and then prep your wedding with your heiress mistress before you're even divorced from said wife, and live your entire life like a pampered little schoolboy?

Quite honestly, I don't see anything "manly" about an cranky elderly gentlemen that is essentially a kept man.

John McCain: Bought And Paid For -- even by his own wife!

I was waiting for this explosion to happen but I thought it would be on the debate stage. I know Barack can get way under McCain's skin and the fact is McCain and his camp are a bunch of ego driven hot heads...Their response is juvenile. However, since the cat's finally out of the bag-and with perfect timing I might add- let the game's begin. Seems to me like Barack and the entire Dem party have some things as most of us knew all along. I think Al would agree that in a Presidential race, timing is in fact EVERYTHING.

Also, with the news that McCain won't sign a one term pledge, shouldn't that frighten voters away from McCain? Now the Dem's can educate voters that if they elect McCain they risk getting not four but eight more years of Bush-wouldn't he also be 76+ starting a second term? My word, will he even remember his name by then? Just sayin'..

that $4 million is still firmly middle class, according to John McCain.

What's especially brilliant about the "houses" quote is that McCain mentioned checking with "his staff" and getting back to the press. Like the number was so incalcuable that he needed assistance to ascertain it.

Jonathan Martin at Politico reports that Obama surrogates will be hitting the houses theme hard.

Barack Obama's campaign, moving rapidly to exploit what they see as a major opportunity, is deploying high-profile surrogates in 16 states across the country today to highlight John McCain's uncertainty yesterday about how many houses he owns, the Democrat's campaign tells Politico. Governors, members of Congress and state legislators will hold conference calls and press conferences in front of homes to draw attention to the issue. Party leaders such as Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, on the stump in Ohio and Iowa respectively, wil move to incorporate the matter into their remarks on the campaign trail today in an effort to draw local media attention to the story.

Those pictures, I mean are you serious? Are those really McCain's actual homes? Because if they are I'm sorry, but my instant gut reaction is to throw up. That's how the Sentor lives? This is how the man who calls Obama an elitist spends his time? Jesus, get those photos on every freaking commercial possible. That level of ostentatious living is simply beyond the pale for most Americans. I'd give him a pass if he wasn't playing class war with Obama, but a man living in gold and crystal houses should not throw stones. My hunch is that if Americans see those photos in a  video montage, along with McCain's comments about our great economy, McCain loses the respect of the American people and loses this election.

Wow, what a day this has turned out to be!  This is going to set the tone for the weekend too.  Yay!!

He's John Sidney McCain the Third Bush Term

I'm not saying it's a bad thing because McCain's entire campaign is centered around negativism, but I do think it is in response to slowly declining poll numbers.

Glad to see Obama willing to play on McCain's turf.   If McCain ever plays the victim all Obama has to do is say: "Hey, if Paris and Britney are fair game..."

I agree that this is the best name for him.  Names like McBush and McSame are fun for the converted (albeit somewhat juvenile), but calling attention to McCain's elitist roots in a much better strategically.

Frankly, if I were considering voting for a particular candidate, and that candidate's supporters were calling an opponent childish names like "McBush,"  it would make me less, rather than more, likely to vote for that candidate.

Got to hand it to the Obama campaign for their rapid response. An in what 12 hours of the politico story? And events planned from Bangor, ME to Billings, MT to Anchorage, AK. I am loving this! Kerry never hit Bush so hard and so directly. Here is the list of events today from the Obama campaign release:

-----

BURLINGTON, VT: Vermont State Representative Rachel Weston will be speaking outside her home about McCain losing track of how many homes he owns

LA CROSSE, WI: State Rep. Jen Shilling and La Crosse Obama supporters host a news conference on McCain losing track of how many homes he owns

MADISON, WI: Former US Senator Jean Carnahan holds event in Madison with Women For Obama where she will talk about McCain losing track of how many homes he owns

DES MOINES, IA: Kansas Governor, Kathleen Sebelius campaigns in Des Moines this afternoon where she will discuss McCain losing track of how many homes he owns

KANSAS CITY, MO: Obama Heartland Change RV Tour with State Senator Wes Shoemyer will visit a Missouri family in Kansas City to discuss McCain losing track of how many homes he owns

ST. PAUL, MN: State Senator Tarryl Clark discusses McCain losing track of how many homes he owns

BANGOR, ME: Rep. Mike Dunn, and House Majority Whip Sean Faircloth will hold a press conference to talk about McCain losing track of how many homes he owns

PUEBLO, CO: State Rep. Terrance Carroll will hold an event with Obama supporters in Denver and State Sen. Abel Tapia about McCain losing track of how many homes he owns

OH: Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen will talk about McCain losing track of how many homes he owns at events throughout southeast Ohio

ALTOONA, PA: State Senator John Wozniak will headline an event in Altoona, PA on McCain losing track of how many homes he owns and the campaign is also announcing a statewide search for anyone who doesn’t know how many houses they own

MI: Campaign for Change offices across Michigan are launching a “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: McCain Edition” contest where volunteers will be able to win a free “Exxon-McCain” bumper-sticker if they correctly guess the number of houses John McCain owns. Prizes will be only be awarded after McCain clarifies exactly how many houses he owns. To win, the answer must be specific -- “at least four” doesn’t count.

TAMPA , FL: Campaign for Change in Florida launched a statewide search to find Floridians who, like John McCain, have so many homes that they just can’t keep track of the number.

Raleigh, NC: Campaign for Change in North Carolina is holding a press conference in Raleigh with Representative G.K. Butterfield to talk about McCain losing track of how many homes he owns

BILLINGS, MT: A local family will hold an availability in front of a house slated for foreclosure

NV: Congresswoman Berkley will host a conference call to talk about McCain losing track of how many homes he owns

ANCHORAGE, AK: Local residents will hold a press availability to talk about McCain losing track of how many homes he owns

He couldn't count high enough, apparently.

Boom.

amk

What are they thinking?  Honestly!  Attacking Obama for his wealth when JSM the III Bush Term (love that!) is the 7 or so mansion gigalo?  Attacking Obama for Rezko when the Keating embarrassment is just hanging there, ripe for the picking?  They did better when they had Brittany and Paris helping spread the "message."

What a gift that just fell into Team Obama's lap!

Unfortunately the press seems more than happy to bury or minimize the story.  Most of the headlines scream that "McCain has halved Obama's lead" or, as the Boston Globe does, call his gaffe a "kerfluffle."  Just how much do the communication monopolies owe McCain for all the legislative work he's done to enrich them? 

Still, this is brilliant and I can't wait to see what the late night folks do with this.  Hahahahaha.

so expect them to hammer on it a lot but obviously, the issue doesn't have legs.

I_L_Y_A - I don't think today's escalation is a response to poll numbers or anything except the fact that Senator McCain opened his mouth and said something as extremely revealing as it was extremely stupid. Like George Washington Plunkitt, Obama and team "saw their opportunities and took 'em!"

(Although, what's the over-under on the number the minutes until the first "panic diarist" announces: "He's doing this because we said the sky was falling!"?)

They look like high-end resorts with fancy table settings.

amk

Shake down thieves walking in broad daylight

Oh, and this line portrays McCain's response:

Here's your ticket pack your bag; time for jumpin' overboard

The guy made only $4 million last year, he's not rich! At least according to John McCain. *play video*

Yeah, Kat made the point, but I'm jumping on board. The $5 million mark, so many houses he loses track, and his economic guru's opinion that our only economic problem is our own whining--these deserve to be pounded repeatedly as part of the Dems' economic themes. (No one cares about the price of his shoes--stay focused on the stuff that no one aspires to.) Short, easy to understand, and underscores the larger themes of the campaign.

...It'd be a shame to overshadow this with any new news.

Al, but I've already seen plenty of comments on DKos to the tune of "Thank God Obama took our advice and started hitting back harder!"

I'm of two minds about that. Its hilarious to think of Plouffe and Axelrod scanning the internet for campaign advice, slapping their foreheads and going "why didn't we think of that!"

But, I think it also speaks to the amount of ownership that ordinary people feel towards this campaign, which is a good thing.

John Sidney McCain III - Barack Hussein Obama II

I wouldn't go there.

I'm glad to see those Mainers in the list of state surrogates. Bangor, by the way, is the regional center for the second congressional district, the CD where voting tends to be more evenly divided than the the state's 1st CD. It's a very working class district. The House member is a former mill worker and union shop steward, has a high school education, endorsed Edwards, and is very, very popular.

I'm hoping to see follow-up ads with audio from McCain (Politico is supposed to post that later today) and with the "nation of whiners comment," or perhaps the result of the poll they're doing in FL today, asking people if they remember how many homes they have.

I don't consider an ad to be negative unless it is downright untruthful or somehow plays fast and loose with the truth.  Team Obama's ad response to JSM III's gaffe was to hit with facts.  That's not negative, that's smart. Can you imagine the hue and cry from the Armchairmen if that early Christmas present from JSM III was passed over?

I still think the draft thing is bigger.

Wait a minute- the PRICE of arugula? A hallmark of being rich is that you don't have to worry about the price of things. Like shoes, for example. I doubt McCain worried about the price of his $500 shoes, heh. Sure, arugula costs more than iceberg lettuce, but not that much more.

If you were touchy at all, you could possibly come to the conclusion that McCain and his apologists sneer at people who have to worry about prices of things. The arugula price thing came up in the primary, so I suppose I'm taking this out of its longer context, but hard to remember all that off-hand.

They also charged $10 admission to tour for charity. I probably would have just written a check:

http://www.architecturaldigest.com/homes/features/archive/mccain_slidesh...

What a difference a day makes.  Xanadu times 10 = John McKane!!  Rosebud ...

 Hurrah -- And to make things even better, we have Al's passionate and spot-on defense of the much misunderstood arugula.

McCrack has never had to struggle for anything in his entire life.

He certainly didn't 'earn' all these houses--and if it weren't for the cheerleader-Stepford wife-heiress, at his government pay-grade he would only afford one home millionaire home.

Thanks John McCrack--your gift almost compells me to send you a campaign donation....errr....on second thought, I will buy an import beer, turn toward Arizona, and signal a toast for you and the cheerleader (hoping that she stays away from water lol ).

I've updated the post below this one, but here it is:

Update II: Nate was right on the concept if off on the exact itinerary. Here it is:

SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2008

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

MONDAY, AUGUST 25, 2008

Quad Cities area, Iowa

TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2008

Kansas City, Missouri

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Billings, Montana

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Denver, Colorado

(No swings through Sebelius-land but the Montana stop - on the day the VP nominee gets that moment in the spotlight - sure is interesting!)

(Also, these stops are all in states and cities where Obama beat Clinton: not where one would take her on tour if the number two. Just sayin'.)

Thanks to Andrew Sullivan for this lovely little bit:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0Glia_Vrbc8

ENJOY!

Arugula grows as a weed in Lebanon and Palestine and Iraq. Like dandelions here.

was this:

BILLINGS, MT: A local family will hold an availability in front of a house slated for foreclosure.

However, while obsessively checking the Billings Gazette for updates on Obama's Wednesday visit (please, please, please let it be Schweitzer!), I noticed they managed to get in another one:

Barack Obama will be in Billings next Wednesday on his way to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, the executive director of the Montana Democratic Party announced this morning... Noonan made the confirmation while standing in a light rainstorm in front of his brother’s Helena home. He said he chose the location to highlight the differences between Republican likely nominee John McCain and the values of most Montanans.

Noonan referenced a statement McCain allegedly made in which he said he didn’t know how many houses he owned.

Most Montanans, in contrast, own just one house, he said, and they’re very proud of it.

"This house is owned by my brother. He saved money for it; it’s his pride and joy," Noonan said.

He also said McCain, who came in third in the Montana Republican caucus, has nine homes and $5 million, cannot speak for "Montana values."

LMAO!

Let's see here:

-- Born to wealth and privilege as the Fortunate Son (and Grandson) of admirals (that's why his wings weren't pulled even though he kept crashing jets) from a Mississippi plantation-owning family (yes, they had slaves until that darned Lincoln took 'em away

-- Dumps his first wife and marries an heiress even richer than his own family

Silver Spoon McCain!

Here's a nice, simple graphic that the creator has given us all carte blance to use:

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2008/8/21/112248/677/167#c167

This will be the response. "At least he got them legally." "Rezko, Rezko, Rezko!"

It is going to get very ugly from here. Who knows how low they are willing to go when they get really desperate.

Hmm.  No stops in Bayh-land at all.  No tour through Sibelius' home state either.  One stop in Feingold country (but NOT the greater Madison area, his home base), then dipping back south for Iowa (Obama's game-changing early victory) and Missouri (Claire McCaskill's turf) before veering ALL the way up to Montana (Schweitzer country) right before Denver...

I'm brewing another pot of tea to read those leaves.

Kaine really exemplifies here the kind of aggressively disciplined and articulate voice Obama needs in a VP.

I suspect he is just testing his rapid response surrogate team before the campaign starts in earnest, rather than this being part of a sustained attack. It's fun seeing the 911th Chairborne division take credit for this though.

 I hope this Wednesday schedule clue is the 'One'. John Sydney McDraft (not my children) III gave us a gift yesterday. What a happy day :-)

Kaine was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Mary Kathleen Burns and Albert A. Kaine, a welder and the owner of a small iron-working shop. Kaine grew up in the Kansas City area and graduated from Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Missouri.

Emphasis added. Eau Claire, WI could be a head-fake as it's a stop on the way to St. Paul, MN. It's Kaine!

For every rezko, there is a keating 5. Did you think any elections with repugs as opposition will be a cake-walk ?  Of course, it is going to be ugly (if it isn't already).

amk

I'm not sure that I agree withy your assertion that Kaine was smiling when he stuck in the knife.

He seemed a little more ruthless and went straight into the heart mercilessly with a straight face!

Here's my favorite quote from the Architectural Digest tour of the McCain's AZ house:

The initials “MC,” for “McCain,” were hand-carved into a mantelpiece made in Guadalajara for the master bedroom.

Nice touch for a man of the people.

I'm sure Paris Hilton knows how many houses she owns....

If the McCain camp wants to bring up Rezko, then Obama's surrogates need to remind voters (and educate those too young to know) of the Keating Five scandal.

Great to see Obama's rapid response and messaging organization run flawlessly.  Perhaps he really was just biding his time saving his energy until the middle innings of the game.

If so, he's just like the bleepin' Yankees.  They spot you a 2-run lead in the early innings, make your starting pitcher work and work so that he tires early, and then, in the bottom of the eighth, they come back and just kill you. Man, I hate the Yankees.

Lest I digress further, good work by the O-camp today.

I don't think either Rezko or Keating 5 are going to hit home with very many voters.  McCain has apologized for his role in that and it was a really long time ago.

How fired up do voters get about the 1980s S&L scandal these days?

Same think with Rezko.  There's no smoking gun, and people just aren't really going to care.

This "I don't know how many homes I have" is a MUCH bigger deal.

The attck ads have already started.  I suppose McCain took the Obama attack today as a signal that it's war.  A 527 opened up with an Ayers ad and Ambinder is reporting the McCain campaign will release an ad on Rezko tonight.  Kinda early to shoot your whole wad in August isn't it?  This smacks of desperation on McCain's part...This is going to be so much fun...

About this Arugula thing: it is completely misrepresented (repeat a lie often enough and it looks like truth). Barack said that farmers who are in dire economic straits might want to look into producing fancy stuff (arugula) instead of corn because the profit span should be much better. So it was a tip to the corn/wheat farmers, I seem to remember he even said something to the effect 'you do not need to eat it yourself'.

There are no private beaches in Hawaii. State law requires all beaches remain accessible to the public. So the "Private Beach" thing isn't true.

Since it's now clear that McCain is going to use the POW card for every misstep, an enterprising "supporter" on DailyKos went ahead and made him an official "get out of gaffes" card.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/21/16410/0565/504/572077

Very neatly and deftly tying together McCain's many mansions and his history of flip-flopping, David Mizner had this to say:

"No wonder John McCain owns so many houses--there are so many John McCains."

That's a gem served up free for the Obama campaign. They better use it.

And the Robin Leach idea above is also genius. Someone needs to get him on the phone, stat!

Instead of exploiting a scandal, Obama is 'telling the public who McCain is,' which is giving Rove a taste of his own medicine. There's a 'say anything,' and say that responses violate points of order tactic we saw in Penn's HRC campaign that comes from Rove, seen here is McCain's point of order 'I thought the wives were off limits' remark. The problem with McCain's retort is that everyone can see that attack and it is not an attack on Cindy. And the problem with 'hitting back with Rezko' on a limited buy released to free media is that free media already has hunted down every angle on Rezko and didn't find anything Obama did that was illegal, and 'let's hit him on Rezko' has become codified as a somewhat desperate stock tactic against Obama since this has been played out with Hillary already. Rezko and Ayres were established political figures in Chicago when Obama was a novice, and this is a transparent case of putting Obama on trial for the state of Chicago politics, something that didn't improve the Gibson/Stephanopoulis approval ratings.

The three pronged spear in the ad is a critique of McCain's economic policies, the suggestion that he is slow which relates to his age, and the suggestion that he is a rich guy out of touch with middle America - those themes implanted into one message, a pretty compact 30 seconds of campaigning, since 'it's the economy, stupid' very much this year. And it's not 'pulling out the old skeletons in the closet' since they are current statements of McCain. He's driving the issues better than in past weeks, and there's a nice 'I can defend myself' vibe that comes with the imminent selection of a VP surrogate. Playing McCain's admission that he doesn't know much about economics will have to wait for late October.

You know what this also brings up? McCain likes to talk up his energy policy and how it's so much "better" than Obama's, and how we need to "make sacrifices" for the good of our environment, while he leaves an environmental footprint behind that's how large with seven plus houses??

I know that will be overshadowed by the housing crisis issue, as it rightly should be, but this is just another thing to add to a long list.